Emiliano Martínez has given Argentina a useful injury update before their meeting with Cape Verde Islands. The goalkeeper said, “I can now play without a finger kit for the next game,” after a tournament build-up shaped by a broken-finger issue and surgery doubts.
Martinez's recovery update
Martinez said, “I decided not to have surgery, I had a bad time. I came here very prepared, I still haven't trained with the group, always with Martin Tocalli.” He also added, “On the pitch, I try not to suffer. When they told me I had to have surgery, millions of questions came to me, but the coach, Lionel Scaloni, supported me. He told me no matter the game, he would always support me.”
That leaves the picture fairly clear. He is still working away from the full squad, but the key line is that he can now play without the finger kit for the next game. For Argentina, that is a better place to be before Argentina vs Cape Verde Islands, scheduled for 2026-07-03 22:00 UTC.
Villa future stays separate
There is still another layer to Martinez's summer. BBC reporting has linked him with a possible move from Aston Villa, with the club said to be weighing what happens next as they manage wages and PSR plans. The same reporting says he signed for Villa from Juventus for £17m in 2020, has made 256 appearances, and played 2,835 Premier League minutes last season, his lowest top-flight total in five years.
That side of the story is still open. The injury update points one way for Argentina, while the club situation remains unresolved for Villa. For now, the immediate news is simpler: Martinez expects to be available without finger protection against Cape Verde Islands, and that is the update Argentina wanted before kick-off.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →