Unai Emery preparing for late call on Aston Villa star
Unai Emery is preparing to make a late call on Emi Martinez after confirming the goalkeeper sustained a hairline fracture to a finger in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at Chelsea.
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Martinez was forced off at half-time at Stamford Bridge and medical tests have revealed a small bone fissure on a finger in his right hand.
The 31-year-old has undergone treatment and will attempt to train with the rest of Villa’s squad on Tuesday afternoon as preparations begin for Wednesday’s visit of Brentford.
Should he feel able to play, he is expected to line-up against the Bees as Emery’s men aim to snap an eight-match winless run. In any case, Villa are confident Martinez will be ready for their next match at home to Southampton.
Reports overnight in Argentina claimed the keeper was facing at least two weeks out with a full fracture but the issue is far less serious.
"He has a fissure (hairline fracture) in his hand, we are going to train this afternoon and I don’t know how he is going to feel," Emery told a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. "It depends on the training today. He could be in for tomorrow or not."
Robin Olsen is on standby to step-in for Martinez, having made his first appearance of the season in the second half at Chelsea.
