Emiliano Martínez is undergoing jaw surgery on Saturday night in Liverpool after suffering a severe collision with a rival player during Chelsea’s 2-0 victory against Everton, La Nación reported. The Argentina national team goalkeeper was left on the pitch at the Hill Dickinson stadium in Liverpool following a contested aerial challenge with defender Jarrad Branthwaite.
Jaw Surgery at a Liverpool Hospital Following On-Pitch Collision
The incident occurred in the 20th minute of the second half as Everton mounted a dangerous set-piece near the Chelsea penalty area. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall delivered a left-footed cross into the box, prompting Martínez to rush off his line and leap to punch the ball clear. During his flight, he collided directly with Branthwaite and crashed to the turf.
LA JUGADA QUE SACÓ A DIBU DE LA CANCHA: Emiliano Martínez salió a cortar un centro, pero sufrió un fuerte choque contra Branthwaite y el arquero argentino tuvo que salir del campo de juego en camilla.📺 Mirá la Premier League por ESPN en el Plan Premium de #DisneyPlus pic.twitter.com/F56nOkoXCB
Television broadcasts captured Martínez dropping to the ground with his arms raised before they slowly drifted downward from the force of the impact. Medical personnel rushed onto the pitch immediately, administering treatment for eight minutes while crowd members at the away end applauded. The medical team fitted the goalkeeper with a provisional neck brace and provided oxygen before carrying him off on a stretcher, with Mike Penders stepping in as his replacement.
Chelsea Manager Xabi Alonso Confirms Goalkeeper Left Pitch Conscious
Speaking after the final whistle of the 2-0 fixture, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso addressed the distressing scene on the pitch. Until now, as far as I know, he left the stadium conscious. And now he is at the hospital, where he is undergoing tests. So we will see. That is what I know so far,
Alonso stated.
Club medical staff transferred Martínez directly to a hospital in the city of Liverpool for comprehensive medical evaluations. As of Saturday night, the club has not released an official statement detailing the exact prognosis or the expected timeline for his recovery and absence from competitive play.
First-Half Time-Wasting Sanction Preceded Second-Half Injury
Prior to the collision that ended his evening, Martínez drew attention earlier in the match during the first half. The referee penalized the goalkeeper for holding the ball longer than permitted before restarting play. Implementing the eight-second rule, the official awarded Everton a corner kick due to the delay.
Martínez, who came up through the youth ranks at Independiente, remained under medical care at the hospital in Liverpool as surgical procedures commenced on Saturday night.
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