Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez revealed he broke his finger during warmups before keeping a clean sheet in Wednesday's Europa League final. The Argentina international made several crucial saves as Villa secured a 3-0 victory over SC Freiburg in Istanbul, showing no signs of the injury that occurred before kickoff. Martínez explained the finger would slip in another direction when he tried to catch the ball, but he refused to let it affect his performance on football's biggest stage.

The win ended Villa's 30-year trophy drought with first-half goals from Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendía, and Morgan Rogers. Martínez stepped away during warmups for treatment before returning with his finger taped, then produced a performance that left Freiburg with no chance of mounting a comeback. The Bundesliga side was completely outclassed as Villa dominated possession and created chances throughout the match.

"This team hasn't really had the chance to celebrate in a long time," Martínez told ESPN after the match. While the injury is unlikely to affect his World Cup preparations with Argentina, he'll now focus on defending their title starting in June when they face Jordan, Algeria, and Austria in Group J. The goalkeeper emphasized his pride in representing Villa, calling the club and fans his family and expressing joy at finally achieving success together.