Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez has criticised the club’s leadership for not strengthening the squad sufficiently during the summer transfer window after Tuesday’s 2-0 Champions League loss to Atlético Madrid.
The Argentina international stood up for manager Michael Carrick, saying the club’s recruitment choices should also be examined instead of putting all the blame on the coach and players.
ESPN reports that Martínez directly urged United’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, to invest further in the squad so the team can compete at the highest level.
“Really poor. Really poor,” Martínez told Amazon Prime after the match in Madrid.
He added, “I have to control myself a lot, but sometimes it is a reflection of the mirror of how our club is at the moment.
“We did a fantastic season last season, and now we expect more from the top and more players to compete because many teams bring many players as well.
“Atlético has an amazing team, and they deserve to win today.
“But I expect more [investment]. 100%. I expect more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox].”
He admitted that the players also needed to improve but insisted that building a strong squad was essential to competing in demanding European fixtures.
“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,” he said.
The defender also questioned the repeated focus on managerial changes when results deteriorate, suggesting that other areas of the club’s management should be examined.
“You can’t keep changing, changing, changing the manager. What about other areas?
“Tonight it is easy to say the coach and easy to say the players, but also we have to see other areas,” he said.
He stood up for Carrick, arguing that the manager was doing all he could and that United had to progress instead of depending on the foundation established the previous season.
“Last season we did everything; we created the base to create an amazing team.
“It is annoying and disappointing to come here, and I am not seeing my team trying to get an amazing result here,” Martínez said.
According to ESPN, United spent approximately £150m on summer signings, significantly less than some of their Premier League rivals.
The loss to Atlético marked United’s third defeat in five games against the Spanish side, while Carrick had secured just one win in his previous seven matches, intensifying the pressure on the manager.
In response to Martínez’s comments, Carrick said he had not seen the interview and refused to give his view on the defender’s remarks.
“I haven’t seen it. After a game like this, you come here to try and get something from the game, and you are disappointed and can be emotional.
“I have not seen it, so I don’t think it is the right time,” Carrick said.
Carrick, however, claimed that his players remained committed despite the disappointing results.
He said, “We all care and show that in different ways, but now is the time to be together and work through.”
“As a group, I don’t doubt the togetherness or their wanting to win. Looking at the results, you could be saying it’s deeply wrong, but that’s not been the case.
“The players have been great, but results haven’t, and they were desperate to get something out of the game.”
