Dramatic Scenes: Emery's Heart in Mouth as Martinez Saves Villa in Tense Shootout

Aston Villa reached their first major European semi-final in over 40 years, but the journey wasn't for the faint of heart. In a dramatic penalty shootout against Lille, manager Unai Emery experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, briefly believing his star goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had been sent off.

The game itself finished 2-1 on aggregate, requiring a penalty shootout to decide the winner. Martinez, known for his heroics in such situations, rose to the occasion again. However, the drama extended beyond his saves.

According to reports, Emery thought Martinez had been shown a second yellow card for taunting the Lille fans after a crucial save. A red card at that stage would have left Villa with a major disadvantage. Thankfully for the Villans, the yellow card was Martinez's first of the night, for time-wasting earlier in the game, and therefore didn't result in a dismissal.

With Martinez remaining on the pitch, he went on to make another key save, securing a 4-3 victory on penalties and sending Villa into the European history books. Emery, undoubtedly relieved after the initial red card scare, can now focus on preparing his team for their historic semi-final appearance.