PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG revealed the funny text exchange and mind games with Emiliano Martinez ahead of the goalkeeper’s Emirates return. The Argentine stopper heads back to North London with his new Aston Villa side tonight. After ten years with the Gunners, Martinez has plenty of good pals still at the club. However, those friendships will be […]
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG revealed the funny text exchange and mind games with Emiliano Martinez ahead of the goalkeeper’s Emirates return.
The Argentine stopper heads back to North London with his new Aston Villa side tonight.
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After ten years with the Gunners, Martinez has plenty of good pals still at the club.
However, those friendships will be put aside for 90 minutes when the two teams look to take all three points and move up the table.
And the Gunners captain, 31, is already trying to get in his former team-mate’s head before kick-off by threatening to Panenka a penalty.
Aubameyang told the Arsenal club website: “He knows [the secrets], but I’ve got no worries about that.
“He knows a lot of things, but things can change on the day of the game.
“Emi is a great keeper and a great guy as well. It’s going to be funny to play against him.
“He sent me a message and said, ‘Hopefully you’re going to get a penalty and I’m going to save it.’
“I said, ‘OK, be ready for the chip then!’”
Mikel Arteta decided to sell Martinez, 28, to Villa for £20million deal in the summer despite his impressive spell when Bernd Leno was out injured.
That included helping the Arsenal win the FA Cup – but Arteta opted to stick by Leno as his No1.
And the Spaniard has no regrets over the transfer, despite the goalkeeper’s fine start to life at Villa.
Martinez has kept three clean sheets so far including in his first two Premier League matches for Dean Smith’s side, saving penalties in the wins over Sheffield United and Fulham.
Arteta said: “When we sat down and we believed it was the right thing to do — he was still very willing to get the No 1 shirt and play regularly — I think we had to give him the choice to decide where he wanted to play.
“He has earned a lot of respect in this country, he has been here for ten years and with his performances for us in the last few months.
“He believed it was the right club for him so I was happy to let him go and make the right decision for his career.
“He has become really hungry, really competitive and really clear about what he wanted to do in the next chapter of his career, so I am sure he will be a success.”
