Chelsea secured a 2-0 victory away at Everton FC, but the win came with a major setback: Emiliano Martinez had to be taken to hospital. A precise diagnosis is still pending.
It happened in the 68th minute: Following a free-kick cross, Chelsea’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez attempted to punch the ball away but collided violently with his head against Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite.
Martinez lay motionless on the pitch and was treated at length by the medical staff, who rushed to his aid immediately. After a break of around eight minutes, he was stabilised on a stretcher and carried off the pitch. The Argentine goalkeeper was able to lift his arm and thumb slightly. He was replaced by Belgian goalkeeper Mike Penders in the 75th minute.
The 34-year-old, whose condition, as seen in the images, raises fears of a head injury, was subsequently taken straight to a hospital in Liverpool; according to Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso, he was conscious during the journey. “But that’s all I know at the moment,” said the Spaniard: “Hopefully it won’t be too serious, but we’ll have to wait for the results of the tests first.”
Three big matches before the end of October
Chelsea have not yet released an official update on Martinez’s condition, but it is likely that he will be out of action for the Blues for some time. An untimely enforced break, given that three absolute highlights are on the horizon: the Premier League matches against Tottenham (24 October) and Manchester United (31 October), as well as the League Cup away fixture at Liverpool FC (28 October).
Martinez has been playing in England since 2010, initially for Arsenal. However, he was unable to establish himself at the Gunners and was therefore frequently sent out on loan. It was not until 2020 that he finally found his feet at Aston Villa, before moving to Chelsea this summer. Martinez has enjoyed great success in the national team’s colours: in 2022, he won the World Cup in Qatar, and this year he and the Albiceleste finished as runners-up in North America.
