Lisandro Martinez is almost certain to face action for his comments after Manchester United's loss on Tuesday night, which saw him take aim at the hierarchy. The Argentine defender did not hold back after the Red Devils' 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid, making it clear he felt the squad had not been bolstered enough and laying the blame at senior figures inside the club.
Martinez criticises technical director
Martinez told Amazon Prime Video: "We did a fantastic season last season and now we expect more from the top, more players to compete because many teams bring many players as well." He went on to single out Jason Wilcox, name-dropping his job title, and the Athletic understands that his views are shared by some players at Old Trafford, even if they have not chosen to speak out so candidly.
"I expect more [investment]. 100%. I expect more from our technical director," said the Argentine. "I have to be honest, as players we have to do more but it is also important when you make a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night. Tonight it is easy to [blame] the coach, easy to say the players but also we have to see other areas."
United's transfer struggles
It is no secret that United missed out on a host of their summer targets. They backed out of moves for the likes of Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes due to their price tags, whilst they also failed to land Lewis Hall, who was a prime target at left-back. United enjoyed a renaissance under Michael Carrick midway through last season, rising up to third and qualifying for the Champions League. In preparation for that, the club spent £155 million on three new midfielders, but other areas, notably the defence, were left as they were.
Likely punishment and unclear future
Martinez's outburst makes it incredibly unlikely he will be in the team to face Leeds on Sunday, and it has cast even more doubt over his future with his contract expiring in the summer. The likely outcome in the short-term is that the World Cup winner is fined. While the defender's comments will have resulted in unwanted attention, it was a show of support for Carrick, but the United boss was in a difficult situation and did not speak in detail about Martinez's remarks, claiming that "emotion" had a part to play.
Martinez is a vocal figure at Carrington, often voicing displeasure when he feels certain things are not right. He previously clashed with former boss Ruben Amorim over team selection.
