Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had to be restrained during a heated tunnel confrontation with Arsenal fans following a 4-1 defeat where he was relentlessly mocked by the home supporters.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez endured a nightmare return to the Emirates on Tuesday, conceding four goals in a devastating 30-minute second-half spell.
The 4-1 defeat saw his side’s 11-match winning streak snapped in emphatic fashion.
Throughout the match, Martinez was the target of relentless taunting from the home crowd, who mocked the World Cup winner with chants of “you’re just a s*** David Raya” as the Gunners took control of the game.
The tension boiled over at the final whistle as Martinez exited the pitch.
Footage captured a fan shouting, “You’re rattled! F*** off, f*** off, f*** off! He’s so rattled. Wakey wakey!” A visibly incensed Martinez reacted by turning back to confront the supporters.
He had to be physically shepherded toward the dressing room by stadium staff and security to prevent the situation from escalating further as he continued to exchange heated words with the crowd.
Despite his decade-long tenure at Arsenal and his heroics in their 2020 FA Cup triumph, the relationship between Martinez and the North London faithful remains fractured.
This latest incident highlights the intense rivalry that has developed since his move to Aston Villa.
While Martinez attempted to keep his composure during the four-goal onslaught on the pitch, his emotional outburst in the tunnel provided a dramatic post-script to Arsenal’s statement victory.