Emery hails ‘fantastic’ Martinez comeback for Villa after failed move to Man United

Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne, Tyrone Mings and Emiliano Martinez in action with Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye during their Premier League match at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Sept. 13, 2025. (Reuters)
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Updated 13 September 2025
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Emery hails ‘fantastic’ Martinez comeback for Villa after failed move to Man United

  • “When I wear the crest, I give nothing less than my all,” Martinez said
  • Emery said Villa needed Martinez as the team look to recover from a slow start to the season

LIVERPOOL, England: Aston Villa manager Unai Emery welcomed the return of Emi Martinez and wants the Argentina goalkeeper to feel “comfortable and confident” in the team after failing to secure a move to Manchester United late in the transfer window.
Martinez, the World Cup-winning ‘keeper from 2022, was left out of Villa’s lineup in their last match before the international break because of the uncertainty over his future at the club.

Now that the transfer window is shut and he stayed at Villa, Martinez regained his place and made some key saves in a 0-0 draw at Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.
“When I wear the crest, I give nothing less than my all,” Martinez said on X after the match.
Emery said Villa needed Martinez as the team looks to recover from a slow start to the season, having failed to score a goal in their first four league games.
“We struggled with his situation,” Emery said, “but we have to get feelings together and feel the collective objective. Today his comeback has been fantastic.
“We have to protect him and feel him inside the group, so he is comfortable and confident.”


Formula E heads to Jeddah for double-header, Evans looking to build on Miami momentum

Updated 10 February 2026
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Formula E heads to Jeddah for double-header, Evans looking to build on Miami momentum

  • The night races in Saudi Arabia come with the drivers’ standings tightly contested, with the top five separated by just seven points after three rounds

JEDDAH: The FIA Formula E World Championship continues this week with the first double-header of the 2025/26 season, as Rounds 4 and 5 take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Feb. 13 and 14.

The night races in Saudi Arabia come with the drivers’ standings tightly contested, with the top five separated by just seven points after three rounds, while the highly anticipated Pit Boost feature also returns this weekend.

Pit Boost is a mandatory mid-race stop that provides cars with a 10 percent energy increase, adding a significant strategic element to selected races during double-header weekends.

Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans arrives in Jeddah fresh from victory in Miami and said the team is keen to build on its momentum.

“Getting the win in Miami was a huge boost, for me personally, of course, but for the whole team too. It was one of those races where everything just came together, and to take my 15th Formula E victory with Jaguar made it even more special,” he said.

“Now the attention shifts to Jeddah, which is a completely different challenge. We’ve shown we have the pace, and if we execute well across both races, there’s a big opportunity for us to really ride this momentum,” he added.

Porsche Formula E Team’s Nico Muller said the Jeddah E-Prix presents a unique challenge, particularly with the return of Pit Boost, which will be used in one of the two races.

“I’m excited for the Jeddah E-Prix, a night race is always special. It’s a cool track, it suits the GEN3 Evo (car) well,” he said.

“It’ll be the first Pit Boost race of the season, which will make things challenging, having two completely different races. It also makes preparation more intense because we’re preparing for two different scenarios.

“However, we have a strong base, the car and the team are performing well, and now it’s about optimizing our package for this track and the conditions. We have full focus on scoring points and chasing that victory,” he added.

The Jeddah E-Prix will once again be held under the lights, with cooler track and air temperatures expected to influence tire behavior and energy efficiency.

Off track, Formula E will also host the return of EVO Sessions, where global content creators will drive electric race cars at the circuit following the race weekend, with the event set to be streamed live on YouTube on Feb. 15.

The championship continues to promote sustainability and community engagement in Jeddah through initiatives focused on renewable energy use, waste reduction, education programs and inclusion, including support for young women in motorsport and local community partnerships.