Why was Emi Martinez not sent off after being shown two yellow cards during Lille vs Aston Villa?

ASTON VILLA booked their place in the Europa Conference League semi-finals after beating Lille over two legs.

The tie was decided by a penalty shootout – but there was some drama before the decisive penalty…

Martinez was the hero in the shootoutAP

Why was Emi Martinez not sent off after being shown two yellow cards?

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez avoided being sent off during Villa’s dramatic win at Lille despite being booked twice by the referee.

The Argentine was first shown a yellow card in the 39th minute for timewasting and then was shown another during the penalty shootout.

Martinez saved Lille’s first spot kick from former Tottenham star Nabil Bentaleb – and in celebration, he turned to the French fans, and hit them with a ‘shush signal’.

But the World Cup winner remained on the pitch because yellow cards collected during the match and extra time do not carry over to the penalty shootout.

IFAB law 10 states that: “Warnings and cautions (YCs) issued during the match (including during extra time) are not carried forward into kicks from the penalty mark (KFPM).

“A player who receives a YC during both the match and the KFPM is not sent off.”

Martinez went on to save the decisive penalty from Andre and send Villa through to the semi-finals.

What’s been said?

Speaking post-match, Martinez said: “It’s been hell of a ride all my career. I’m a believer and I’m a hard worker and it was my destiny to win here again.

“I’ve got a reputation for time wasting but the other goalkeeper was doing the same but I got booked. There was no ball on the penalty spot so I was asking the ball boy for one. I don’t understand the rules.

“I always say all in my career, I owe my team-mates in those moments, even when we were watching Real Madrid last night the manager was saying we might go to penalties and in those moments I own my box.

“This group of players and the managers are special, the owners get involved as well, they are always behind us. It feels like we are going to do something special.

“I don’t know if it’s Champions League or if it’s Conference League but we try to do everything we can to push the football club.”