Pedro Martinez Losa offers support to Ava Easdon after Joey Barton criticism

Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa has shown his support to Partick Thistle goalkeeper Ava Easdon after the 17-year-old was at the centre of criticism of the women’s game from Joey Barton.

The former England midfielder, who had a brief and unsuccessful spell in Scottish football with Rangers, highlighted a goal the Light Blues scored against Thistle in Sunday’s Sky Sports Cup final and wrote on X: “I mean let’s just talk about the goalie! How is this nonsense on the box?”

The goalkeeper’s father, seven-time world kickboxing champion Lex Easdon, accused Barton of playing up to his “fan boys” on social media and wrote: “In 2024 and ‘grown’ men feel the need to belittle and bully a 17yr old school kid, who doesn’t get paid to play unlike some men who make the same mistake week after week and get paid hundreds of thousands of pounds.”

As Barton continued to hit back on social media two days after the game, Martinez Losa focused on backing the goalkeeper.