Lisandro Martinez slams Man United board after Atletico defeat

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has criticised the club’s board over its summer transfer strategy, questioning the lack of investment in the squad after the team’s winless run extended to five matches with a 2-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

United suffered the loss in the Spanish capital on Tuesday, extending a difficult spell that has intensified pressure on head coach Michael Carrick. The club have also made their worst start to a Premier League season in 40 years, raising concerns about their ability to compete consistently at the highest level.

Speaking to Amazon Prime after the defeat, Martinez described United’s performance as “really poor” and suggested the team’s struggles reflected deeper problems within the club.

“I have to control myself a lot but sometimes is a reflection… (or) mirror of how our club is at the moment,” the Argentine defender said.

Martinez argued that United should have strengthened their squad more aggressively during the summer after finishing third in the Premier League last season and securing a return to European football’s top competition.

Asked whether he expected greater investment, the defender replied that he did, adding that he wanted more from technical director Jason Wilcox.

“I expect more from our technical director (Jason Wilcox), I have to be honest,” Martinez said.

He acknowledged that the players also needed to improve but stressed that building a competitive squad was essential for handling demanding European fixtures.

According to Martinez, United had established a strong foundation last season to build an exceptional team, but the club had failed to follow through on that progress.

Martinez warns against another managerial change

With pressure mounting on Carrick, Martinez rejected the idea that changing managers repeatedly would solve United’s problems.

“You can’t keep changing, changing, changing the manager. What about other areas? I can’t say more,” he said.

The defender added that blaming the coach or individual players alone would overlook wider issues within the club’s structure.

Minority owner Jim Ratcliffe was present at the stadium to watch United’s defeat, placing the defender’s comments under an even brighter spotlight.

United spent around £140 million ($185 million) during the summer on midfielders Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos. However, supporters have expressed frustration over the club’s failure to strengthen other positions, particularly left-back and striker.

The recruitment strategy has come under renewed scrutiny as United struggle to translate their previous season’s progress into consistent results.

Carrick and Rooney respond to criticism

Carrick said after the match that he had not heard Martinez’s comments and therefore could not fully assess them.

He suggested the defender’s remarks might have been influenced by the disappointment of losing a difficult European fixture.

“I think it’s a little bit on the emotions of the game as well, of coming here and being disappointed not to get something from the game,” Carrick said.

Former United and England striker Wayne Rooney, however, believed Martinez had gone too far by publicly questioning the club’s leadership.

“I think he’s maybe gone a bit too far, and that should have stayed internal,” Rooney told Amazon Prime.

Rooney acknowledged that Martinez clearly cared about the club and wanted greater investment, but warned that speaking out publicly could have consequences for the defender’s future at Old Trafford.

With five matches without a win, United now face growing scrutiny over their recruitment, performances and leadership. Martinez’s criticism has added another layer to the debate over whether the club’s problems can be resolved through changes on the pitch alone or require a broader reassessment of its direction.