Aston Villa news: Pundit hits out over Emiliano Martinez controversy after ‘cheat’ claim
Noel Whelan has defended Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for his penalty shoot-out tactics after accusations of “cheating” were levelled at the Argentina hero.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the France players simply “crumbled” after the 30-year-old “tested their mentality”.
Martinez drew criticism from fans and pundits alike for his display of gamesmanship towards the France players as he saved a penalty to help Argentina to a shoot-out victory in the World Cup final on Sunday (18 December).
He was booked by referee Szymon Marciniak after throwing the ball away in the build-up to the missed penalty from Les Bleus midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.
Speaking to talkSPORT (20 December), former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan accused Martinez of “cheating” and claimed the referee allowed the shot-stopper to “manipulate the circumstances” of the shoot-out.
The Aston Villa star is already being linked with German giants Bayern Munich following his triumph in Qatar.
Whelan told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “I think it’s just the competitive side of the game.
“He is willing to do whatever it takes to win a game of football.
“There are times during the game where people are talking to you, distracting you – it’s just sink or swim.
“You either allow it to drive you forwards, or you let it affect your confidence. This is a World Cup final.
“People are going to pull tricks all day long.
“Martinez got one over on them. He tested their mentality, and the France players crumbled.
“This is not the first time this has happened. He got the job done, and he’s a World Cup winner.”
In other news, Football Insider updates as Aston Villa make move to sign La Liga star ahead of January window.