Unai Emery removes Dibu Martínez as Villa vice-captain, England shocked | OneFootball

Unai Emery’s decision to strip Emiliano Martínez of the vice-captaincy sparked debate at Aston Villa and in the British press. The change became evident in the 2-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League, when, in the absence of captain John McGinn, the armband went to Ezri Konsa and not the Mar del Plata goalkeeper, as was usually the case. This took fans by surprise and highlighted a possible rift between the coach and his star player.

According to English reports, the relationship between the manager and the World Cup winner cooled during the last transfer window, when the player flirted with the possibility of moving to Manchester United—a deal that ultimately did not materialize. That episode is said to have been the trigger for the coach to reconsider the captaincy structure.

At the end of last season, the former Independiente player had made farewell gestures to the stands after a match, which reignited speculation about his future. Despite his intention to change clubs, Martínez remained in Birmingham, although his internal standing is now different from previous months.

During the press conference following the match against the Israeli side, Emery himself confirmed the change: “Normally, we have another captain, Emi Martínez, as vice-captain. But now, after speaking with him, I prefer to remove that role. Konsa is next.”

The manager also clarified that other players are on the list of potential captains. “Tyrone Mings, along with Ollie Watkins as well. Normally, that’s how we manage it,” he added, hinting that the Argentine goalkeeper is no longer part of the team’s leadership hierarchy.

Since his arrival at the club, Dibu has become one of the team’s pillars, both for his performances and his personality. His role as vice-captain reflected his influence in the dressing room and his connection with the fans. Emery’s decision, however, marks a turning point in the internal dynamics, which are now going through a delicate moment.

Despite the circumstances, the goalkeeper was once again a key figure against Maccabi Tel Aviv, with two crucial saves that preserved the result. In the first half, he denied Dor Peretz a goal with a spectacular reaction, and in the second half, he shone again against the same opponent while the match was still open.

Thanks to his performance and the team’s collective effort, the English side secured the 2-0 win and consolidated their hold on sixth place in the group, with 9 points that bring them closer to the Europa League round of 16, without the need to play in the playoffs.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.