After Aston Villa’s elimination, social media mocks Dibu Martinez

The Argentine keeper faced a wave of backlash after conceding five goals against PSG. His performance has once again sparked heated debate.

Aston Villa are out of the Champions League after a wild, rollercoaster night against Paris Saint-Germain. Unai Emery's side had lost 3-1 in the first leg and quickly went 2-0 down in the return match, putting the tie seemingly out of reach. But Villa responded with heart and fire, managing to pull it back to 3-2 and nearly forcing extra time. It was a valiant effort — but it ended in heartbreak. And standing at the centre of the storm was Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez.

The Argentine keeper had a night to forget. PSG scored five goals across the two legs, and the first goal in the return leg was heavily criticised, with Martinez poorly positioned and slow to react. That moment opened the floodgates — not on the pitch, but online, where the reaction was instant and brutal.

“No showboating this time, like when they gifted you the World Cup,” read one viral post. Another said: “Dibu Martinez is the most overrated keeper of the last two decades. Absolutely dreadful.” It didn’t stop there. One user wrote: “Villa had everything to pull off the comeback, but they forgot they had Dibu Martinez in goal.”

Sarcasm and memes flooded social media: “Ladies and Gentlemen, here is Dibu Martinez — the best goalkeeper in the world, according to Argentines and FIFA,” one tweet joked. Others pointed out the numbers: “Five goals conceded by ‘the best keeper in the world’ — what a joke.” The tone was brutal, and the message was clear: for many, Martinez had cost Villa their Champions League dream.

Dibu at the heart of the storm as Villa fall short

Aston Villa may have exited the competition, but they did so fighting. Still, Martinez’s performance has reopened long-standing questions about his level at club level, particularly in Europe. While he remains a national hero in Argentina, nights like this give ammunition to his critics — and in the ruthless world of football, memory is short and reactions are loud.