Argentine defender Lisandro Martínez publicly criticised Manchester United’s management, calling for more investment and signings to strengthen the squad after Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat by Spanish side Atlético Madrid in the Champions League. He said the club’s problems went beyond the performances of the manager and players, who could not be held solely responsible for the team’s declining results.
Martínez calls for Manchester United squad to be strengthened
Martínez, 28, described Manchester United’s performance in the match as “very bad”. In an interview with Amazon Prime after the game, he said he needed to control himself much more when speaking, but that what happened in Madrid sometimes reflected the reality of the club at its current stage.
The Argentine defender added that Manchester United had enjoyed a wonderful season last year but were now far from the top. He stressed the need to bring in more players to enable the team to compete, noting that Atlético Madrid had an excellent side and deserved to win the match.
Martínez moved from assessing the performance to criticising the club’s transfer policy, saying he expected more from everyone. Asked whether greater investment was needed, he replied: “Yes, definitely 100%”, adding that he also expected more from the club’s manager and that the manager needed to be honest about it.
Criticism of recruitment policy and Jason Wilcox’s responsibility
The British newspaper The Athletic reported that Martínez’s criticism was directed at Jason Wilcox, Manchester United’s director of football and the main official responsible for sporting matters and recruitment, although the player did not name him directly during the interview. His comments came in the context of his call for the management to accept its share of responsibility for the team’s situation.
Martínez said the players were required to perform better, but at the same time stressed the importance of having a strong squad ready to face Europe’s leading clubs. He said the team had laid foundations during the previous season on which to build a strong group, but that the current situation required, in his words, an honest discussion about what was happening inside the club.
Asked whether the management had given manager Michael Carrick sufficient support during the summer transfer window, Martínez replied: “I don’t think so”. He added that Carrick was doing all he could, but that the circumstances of each season differed from the last because opposing teams studied the style of play and every detail connected with it.
The Argentine defender warned that failing to change and develop the style of play each season led to a major problem, before criticising the idea of addressing declining results solely by changing managers. He said: “Change the manager, then change him again, and what about the rest? I can’t say any more.” He added that blaming the manager and players was easy, questioning who was responsible for the other aspects of the club.
Carrick and Rooney respond to Martínez’s comments
The comments prompted an immediate reaction after another defeat increased the pressure on Carrick. The Manchester United manager said he had not watched the interview before his press conference, suggesting that Martínez’s words had been shaped by post-match emotions and disappointment at the result.
Carrick said the minutes immediately after matches were not the right time to discuss interviews of this kind, stressing the need to move on quickly from the defeat because the team were preparing for a major match against Leeds United on Sunday. He added that he first needed to learn more details about what had been said before commenting on it or deciding whether the matter required any action.
By contrast, former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney said Martínez may have overstepped the mark slightly by directing his criticism at the management and his team-mates in public. Speaking while analysing the match for Amazon Prime, Rooney said he had been an outspoken player who liked expressing his opinions, but that such matters should remain inside the club.
Rooney added that Manchester United fans wanted to see players who cared about the club, and that Martínez had clearly shown his concern and desire for greater investment. He accepted that the Argentine defender was right on some points, particularly the team’s need to strengthen in attack and defence, but felt that the way he spoke suggested there had been a pre-existing view waiting for a suitable opportunity to be disclosed.
Rooney also considered Martínez’s comments disrespectful to some extent towards his team-mates, because they indirectly suggested that they were not good enough. He added that Bruno Fernandes was the only player who, in his view, had the right to make this kind of statement about the team.
Manchester United’s results crisis and declining investment
The dispute came amid a results crisis at Manchester United, with the team failing to win any of their last five matches and recording only two victories since the start of the season. They had finished last season third in the Premier League, benefiting from improved results after Carrick took temporary charge in January, replacing Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim.
The pressure intensified after the defeat in Madrid, where Manchester United conceded an early goal scored by Pablo Barrios in the first minute. Ademola Lookman added Atlético Madrid’s second goal in the 79th minute, while the match also saw United defender Leny Yoro sent off with a straight red card. Martínez’s criticism comes at a time when his future at Manchester United remains undecided.
The Argentine defender’s current contract runs until 2028, but the player and club have yet to reach an agreement on an extension.
