Unai Emery could already have a future replacement for Emi Martinez at Aston Villa, judging by Joe Gauci’s recent performance for Australia.
The 24-year-old keeper started for the Socceroos in a World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, securing a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw on November 14.
While Gauci’s opportunities at Villa Park have so far been limited to Carabao Cup matches, with Martinez blocking his path, this could change soon. With Martinez now in the latter stages of his career and Aston Villa balancing both European and domestic competitions, Gauci may get more chances to play in the near future.
Gauci’s quiet evening against Saudi Arabia saw him face only three shots, but his standout moment won’t appear in the typical stats.
According to The Guardian, Gauci made a “fabulous” double-save, denying Marwan Al-Sahafi early in the second half. After blocking the initial attempt, he was quick to stop the rebound, only for the effort to be called offside by the linesman.
Aside from this heroic moment, Gauci remained dependable, making one save, one high claim, and dealing effectively with any threat posed by the opposition.
His involvement in build-up play also stood out—an essential skill for modern keepers—as he completed 71 percent of his passes from 40 touches and achieved 46 percent accuracy on long balls.
Gauci has been steadily building his case for a potential starting role at Villa Park. In his two Carabao Cup appearances this season, including one against Crystal Palace, he achieved a pass accuracy of 91 percent, recovered possession 10.5 times per match, and maintained a 63 percent save ratio.
Although Martinez is widely regarded as one of the world’s top goalkeepers, his recent form, like that of his teammates, has been underwhelming. Aston Villa headed into the international break on a four-match losing streak, with Martinez conceding nine goals across those games.
In light of this, Emery may consider giving Martinez a break against less challenging opponents, allowing Gauci to gain more first-team experience. While Gauci may not yet be ready to take on a starting role permanently, his recent international performance hints that he could challenge for it in the future.
In other Aston Villa news, the club is reportedly interested in Kenneth Taylor, with a £29 million update emerging from Ajax.
