Jakarta, CNNI Indonesia —
Croatian goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic revealed the goalkeeper’s weaknesses the Argentine national team Emiliano Martinez ahead of the two teams’ clash in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup at Lusail Stadium, Wednesday (14/12) early morning WIB.
Kalinic and Martinez defended Aston Villa together for around six months in 2020.
In an interview after returning to strengthen Croatian league club HNK Hajduk Split in 2021, Kalinic was asked to pick the best goalkeeper in the Premier League from among Kepa Arrizabalaga, Edouard Mendy, Alisson Becker and Ederson.
Kalinic then answered the question by stating that Martinez is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League.
“Emiliano Martinez is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League for me!” Kalinic would have said Sports news.
He revealed that one of Martinez’s characters was always talking when facing penalty shootouts. According to Kalinic, Martinez took this action to provoke an opposing player who wanted to be the executor.
“He was constantly talking before taking the penalty. It was a bit provocative,” said Kalinic.
Apart from that, continues Kalinic, the leg cross was Martinez’s weak point.
“He knows how to start and then stop. He plays well with his feet, he’s even better at one-on-one defence,” he said.
For information, Martinez has always appeared under the dominance of La Albiceleste throughout the 2022 World Cup. In total, Martinez has appeared for 481 minutes.
Martinez has conceded five goals so far. This also brought his average goals conceded to one goal per game.
Martinez has only kept two clean sheets so far. It happened when Argentina faced Mexico and Poland.
All of the goals that have nestled in Martinez’s goal have come from kicks from inside the penalty area. Thus, Martinez’s record number of saves per game is 0.4 or 29%.
(mts/jal)
