Lisandro Martínez Criticises Man United Hierarchy After Atlético Madrid Defeat
Lisandro Martínez has openly criticised Manchester United's hierarchy and the club's summer recruitment after the 2-0 Champions League defeat at Atlético Madrid on Tuesday, October 13. The Argentina defender singled out director of football Jason Wilcox in an extraordinary post-match interview with Amazon Prime.
United were punished by a first-minute goal from Pablo Barrios, and Ademola Lookman sealed the win for Atlético in the second half. United also played much of the game with ten men. The defeat extended their winless run to five games in all competitions. They have won only once in the Premier League this season and sit 13th in the table, which has increased the pressure on head coach Michael Carrick.
Martínez began by calling the performance "really poor" and admitted Atlético deserved to win. He said he had to control himself because the night felt like a mirror of where the club is at the moment. He then turned his attention to the people upstairs. The defender said the squad had laid the foundations for a strong team last season, but that the hierarchy had not done enough to bring in new players when United returned to the Champions League. He said players expect more from the top, and that the club needed more reinforcements to compete at this level.
Asked about the pressure on Carrick, Martínez defended the coach. He said blame should not fall only on the manager, and that the club cannot keep changing managers without fixing the problems above him. He also accepted that the players share responsibility for the results, and described the evening as disappointing and annoying. ESPN reported that he described the group as not being of Champions League quality.
The comments drew a reaction from former United captain Wayne Rooney, who accused Martínez of disrespect for speaking out in public.
United returned to the Champions League this season after a successful previous campaign. Martínez's comments have put the club's transfer backing and leadership under scrutiny alongside the results on the pitch.