Lisandro Martinez Slams Man Utd Board Over Lack of Ambition
Lisandro Martinez called out Manchester United’s lack of ambition as the defender doubled down on his withering criticism of the club’s hierarchy. The outspoken centre-back voiced his frustrations following a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Defeat at Atletico Madrid Sparks Outspoken Criticism
Michael Carrick’s 10-man squad fell to a 2-0 loss at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, but the talking point afterwards centered on Martinez wielding criticism toward the boardroom. The 28-year-old defender, nicknamed “The Butcher,” criticized United’s director of football Jason Wilcox for a lack of summer transfer business during an interview with Prime Video, before reiterating his stance to former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel on CBS Sports.
“We are trying to be positive and trying to be honest,” Martinez told CBS Sports. “We have to change, we have to do more because I think we are capable to do better.”
The Argentine international pointed out that fans and managers are right to point fingers at the pitch, noting that players accept their share of responsibility. However, he insisted the club as a whole must show greater drive. “I expect more. We need more and we need more ambition. We need to talk more about winning the Champions League, to talk about winning the Premier League in terms of other things,” Martinez said.
Contrasting Views on Early Season Timing
When Peter Schmeichel interjected during the broadcast to point out that it was only October, Martinez pushed back against the patience narrative. “Yeah, but every season we are talking the same thing,” he said. When the 1999 treble winner noted that clubs do not win or lose anything at this stage of a campaign, Martinez replied, “No, no for sure. For sure. But if we don’t say the truth, nothing will change.”
The interview comments dominate the build-up to Sunday’s Premier League trip to rivals Leeds as pressure mounts on Michael Carrick. The defeat leaves the Red Devils on a five-game winless run, sitting 13th in the Premier League with just one win from six matches—marking the club’s worst points tally after six games since 1986.
On the pitch in Spain, United reacted well after conceding an avoidable opening goal to Pablo Barrios inside the first minute. Yet, individual errors and a red card shown to Leny Yoro ultimately sealed the 2-0 scoreline after Atletico substitute Ademola Lookman added a late second.
Martinez Cites Poor Squad Depth and Team Disconnection
Martinez identified several underlying problems contributing to the team’s poor run of form. “I think the belief, the energy [are issues],” Martinez said. “We are not playing well as a team. You can see the disconnection.”
He explained that the team struggles to string three or four passes together, pointing to negative body language and missed opportunities. When asked whether the disconnect stems from confidence, fitness, or tactical understanding, Martinez pointed directly to squad depth.
“Yeah, for sure the confidence and also the rotation in the team, you know,” Martinez said. “Because we have many, many games and you have to rotate players and, for me, we don’t have the best squad at the moment compared with other top teams.”
United endured a disappointing summer transfer window by failing to bring in competition for Benjamin Sesko and Luke Shaw. While the club spent around £155 million to sign Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos, and Carlos Baleba, they missed out on primary midfield targets including Elliot Anderson, Mateus Fernandes, and Aurelien Tchouameni, leaving the squad thin as the fixture list intensifies.