This was the dramatic moment Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez’s racing driver brother was left out of action like his younger sibling at the weekend – after his car was engulfed in flames.
The Argentinian shot-stopper was substituted at half-time during his team’s 1-1 draw against Brentford on Saturday, with initial reports claiming it was because he had been whacked in the privates.
On Sunday, his big brother Alejandro ran into problems after colliding with another vehicle during a race in the city of La Plata south of Buenos Aires.
READ MORE: Danny Rose on verge of tears admitting he had to ignore all football for months
Footage shot in the aftermath of the two cars touching tyres on a bend showed Emiliano’s lookalike sibling slowing down after realising his 12-lap race was over halfway through.
A TV commentator said, as Alejandro appeared to be controlling the situation: “There’s a bit of smoke coming out of the tyre I think more than anything, the left tyre.
Do you know of any footballer’s relations who have interesting jobs? Let us know in the comments section
(Image: INSTAGRAM@https://www.instagram.com/alemartinez_1990/)
“We’ll have to see if something’s rubbing the tyre or if it’s coming from the engine.”
At that moment flames appeared from underneath the vehicle and engulfed the front of the car, as the commentator yelled: “Fire, fire, Martinez’s car is alight” as the rally driver reacted in a split-second and got out before moving quickly away to avoid serious injury.
(Image: TVP Argentina)
He was filmed moments later throwing his gloves on the ground as he unstrapped his crash helmet.
Alejandro later posted video footage from inside his car, showing the moment flames travelled up the bonnet and covered his windscreen as he came to a stop.
He wrote on social media: “A beautiful weekend but one to forget. We were in the lead and in a minor race collision I ran out of engine and it broke.
“Luckily we came out of it unharmed. Another one to learn from. I thank my family for their unconditional support.”
(Image: TVP Argentina)
(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Alejandro is racing this year in a competition called the Bora Cup, driving a Volkswagen with the same number 23 his younger brother uses in the Argentinian national team and he won the World Cup with last year.
Both siblings are mad about cars and motor racing. They went to watch the 2018 World Cup in Russia together as fans. Emiliano only made his international debut in 2021 and went on to play a crucial role in Lionel Scaloni’s team winning the Copa America that year.
(Image: INSTAGRAM@https://www.instagram.com/p/CrZZIIWrSEV/?img_index=4)
Revealing how he predicted in a conversation with his older brother he would play in the 2022 World Cup, he said in a press conference ahead of the final: “During the 2014 World Cup final I was cooking a barbecue for my family.
“In 2018 in Russia I was in the stands with my brother and I told him that in the next one, I would be there.”
Emiliano’s substitution on Saturday was initially linked to the ball hitting him in the groin during a save. Villa manager Unai Emery confirmed afterwards the shot-stopper went off because of a “stomach virus.”
READ NEXT: