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Sport Football Emi Martinez waves tearfully to Villa Park as Unai Emery offers no assurances over future Martinez has been linked with a move away from Aston Villa
open image in gallery
Emi Martinez produced an emotional exit from Villa Park to put his future in doubt (PA Wire) Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
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Your support makes all the difference. Read more Emi Martinez appeared to bid a tearful goodbye to Villa Park following Aston Villa’s 2-0 win over Tottenham on Friday night .
The Argentinian goalkeeper was weeping as he waved to the crowd when leaving the pitch, which marked the final home match of Villa’s season.
Martinez has been linked with a move away from Villa Park this summer and Villa boss Unai Emery could not give any assurances over his future.
Asked about the 32-year-old’s future, Emery could only say “we will see”.
Villa forward Leon Bailey was also in tears.
“Of course, it is the last match (of the season) here, and I don’t know,” the Spaniard said.
“We will see about the team, the players, but of course, they are responding on the field, at the moment they are responding and they are so, so focused in how we are preparing and playing each match.
“Of course, Leon Bailey is playing now less because other players are responding very well. They are performing well.
“And we are going to play Manchester (United ) for the last three points. And for us it will be very important again, to prepare, to be focused everybody.
“And of course, then we will see about everything, how we are going to try to get better for the next season.”
Second-half goals from Ezri Konsa and Boubacar Kamara strengthened Villa’s hopes of returning to the Champions League next term.
Villa’s memorable run to the quarter-finals of this season’s competition gave them the taste for more and they boosted their hopes with an eighth win from their last nine Premier League games.
However, Chelsea’s win over Manchester United later on Friday night saw Villa drop to fifth and they will sink further if sixth-placed Manchester City win their game in hand.
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Boubacar Kamara (right) wrapped things up for Aston Villa against Spurs (Nigel French/PA) (PA Wire) Emery added: “It’s not in our hands. We are winning. But other teams are as well, they are being demanding, and they are getting their points.”
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou was not prepared to risk defenders Cristian Romero , Destiny Udogie and Micky van de Ven ahead of next week’s Europa League final after they stayed at home.
Spurs’ focus was clearly on Wednesday’s clash with Manchester United in Bilbao with the defensive trio not even travelling to Villa Park, where Tottenham suffered a 21st defeat of a miserable league season.
They could yet still be in the promised land of the Champions League next season as well if they can end their trophy drought in Europe and boss Postecoglou did nothing to jeopardise that at Villa Park.
Additional reporting from PA.
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