Argentine goalkeeper Emi Martinez banned for ‘offensive behaviour’

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez has been handed a two-game suspension by FIFA for “offensive behavior.”

The ban comes after Martinez made a lewd gesture with the Copa America trophy following Argentina’s win over Chile and slapped a television camera after their loss to Colombia.

The Argentina Football Association (AFA) have expressed disappointment in the ruling in a statement.

“Despite the defense made by the player and the AFA, FIFA’s Disciplinary Commission found Martinez responsible for violating fair play principles.”

 

As a result, the 32-year-old will miss Argentina’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela on October 10 and Bolivia on October 16.

However, the ban will not impact his availability for Aston Villa, and he is expected to play in their upcoming match against Ipswich.