Tradition has long stated that players must suppress emotions when facing their former teams. No matter the stakes, no matter the moment, players are required to refrain from celebrating out of respect for the fans, for the culture, for the club. Well, Josef Martinez isn't one for tradition. He is one for goals, though.
The Venezuelan star netted two of them against his former side, Atlanta United, over the weekend, leading the way as Inter Miami sealed a crucial win. The goals will no doubt have special meaning to Martinez, who now finally has something going with Miami.
Thus far, the former league MVP's start in Miami has been downright frustrating, having failed to score up until this weekend. But, if there's one thing we've learned about Martinez since his MLS arrival, it's that he's a competitor, a gamer, a baller. He lives for moments like these.
Can this be the spark that ignites Martinez and, more importantly, Miami, or will this just be a moment in time for a player that has had plenty of them? We'll see, but this was a memorable weekend for Martinez, and less so for the Atlanta faithful that cheered him on for years.
Martinez was just one winner from another enthralling round of MLS games - GOAL breaks down all the biggest talking points:
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