The Villa keeper was bizarrely shown a second yellow card during the shootout - although he was able to continue under the laws of the game and help his team progress to the semi-finals - and argued that his previous antics contributed to the punishment.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Martinez said: "I just have a bad reputation for time-wasting because the other goalie was doing exactly the same thing.

"I get booked after 30 minutes, and we’re losing the game, so I don’t know what the ref wants from me. There was no ball on the penalty spot, and I’m asking for a ball from a ball boy and then I get booked. I don’t understand the rules."

Villa progressed despite losing 2-1 to Lille on the night (the tie finished level at 3-3 on aggregate) and Martinez knew that he would be able to repeat the penalty heroics that proved instrumental for Argentina's triumph at the World Cup in 2022.

The shot-stopper said: "I always say that all my career, I know my team needs me in those moments; they always do.

"Yesterday we watched Real Madrid v Man City and the manager said maybe we might go to penalties, so in my head, I own my box.

"This group of players and the manager is special. The owners are really involved as well. They are always behind us.

"It feels like we’re going to do something special. I don’t know if it's the Champions League, or the Conference League, but we will try to do everything we can for this football club."