Lisandro Martinez has released a written statement 24 hours after slamming Manchester United’s board following a Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid.
The media have been in a frenzy following Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid. The Reds conceded after 50 seconds, and Leny Yoro was harshly sent off, but Lisandro Martinez’s post-match comments got most people talking.
Martinez delivered an unexpectedly hard-hitting interview to Amazon Prime before doubling down on NBC Sports. The 28-year-old came out on the offensive, targeting the club’s hierarchy for a lack of investment in the squad over the summer, ultimately leaving Michael Carrick short on options when he’s required to rotate players for multiple competitions now that United are back in the Champions League.
While most United fans agreed with Martinez, whether or not he should have spoken out in such a way has split opinions. Wayne Rooney called it “disrespectful”. Plus, the defender’s future at Old Trafford is up in the air.
No apology from Lisandro Martinez
Every man and his dog has had their say on Martinez over the past 24 hours. It undoubtedly echoed a lot of what United fans have been saying about Jason Wilcox and fellow directors who were handed their roles at the club by Ineos.
It turns out Ineos aren’t popular in the United dressing room, just like they aren’t among fans after the ticket banning fiasco that took place ahead of the 2026/27 campaign. Martinez has now released a statement following his extraordinary verbal attack on the board members at the club.
The statement – released via Instagram stories – includes the line, “My words reflect how I feel,” which is the opposite of an apology. This will come as music to the ears of those supportive of Martinez and his quest to hold club figures like Wilcox accountable for their actions and decisions.
The full statement written by Martinez read: “Following everything that has been said about my comments yesterday, I want to share some thoughts on what I said and how I feel.
“After the match, I spoke out of anger and frustration at not getting the result we all wanted.
“Those who know me know how I live football, with passion, commitment and a huge desire to win. And when things don’t go our way, it hurts, especially when representing a club with the history and stature of Manchester United.
“My words reflect how I feel and how much I want to see this club competing for the biggest honours. Those high standards are part of how I see football and the responsibility that comes with wearing this shirt.
“When I talk about wanting more, I’m talking about the ambition we must all have as part of this club. To keep growing, to become stronger and to have everything we need to compete at the highest level. These are standards we must all hold ourselves to, starting with me.
“I know that, first and foremost, it’s us, the players, who have to deliver, and I put myself at the front of that responsibility. We need to demand even more of ourselves and work together to take Manchester United back to the top.
“I believe in my teammates, our manager and everyone working to help this club move forward. I’m convinced that the way forward is to keep working together, with ambition and commitment.
“My goal has been the same since day one, to win, to compete at the highest level and to give everything I have for this badge.”
This statement suggests Martinez is not backing down. He won’t apologise for expressing how he feels. It will be interesting to see if United act to discipline the Argentine, or whether they will pass on that at the risk of making the situation worse among other players. All eyes will be on Carrick’s press conference before United travel to Leeds on Sunday. It will be interesting to see if Martinez keeps his place in the line-up.
Martinez also dismissed claims that he doesn’t have faith in his United teammates. It has also been reported by other outlets that multiple players agreed with what he said in Madrid.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/GSyW37F