Lisandro Martinez criticises United recruitment after Atletico defeat

Lisandro Martinez criticised Manchester United's recruitment after their 2-0 Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid on October 13, saying he had expected greater investment in the squad. Sky Sports reported that the defender singled out technical director Jason Wilcox during a post-match interview with Amazon Prime.

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Martinez said United needed more players to compete after their achievements last season, pointing to the strengthening carried out by other clubs. His complaint concerned the support provided during the summer transfer window, rather than only the team's performance in Madrid. He said his expectations of the club's leadership had not been met.

The Argentina international also accepted that the players themselves had to improve. According to Sky Sports, he linked his criticism of recruitment to the need for a squad capable of handling Champions League matches, while acknowledging responsibility on the pitch. He described the result as reflecting United's wider situation.

BBC Sport reported that United have now gone five matches without winning and have recorded only two victories in nine games this season. That follows a third-place Premier League finish last term. Michael Carrick won 12 of his 17 matches as interim head coach before receiving a permanent two-year contract, but the team have struggled to sustain that form.

The comments prompted criticism from former United players Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young. Speaking on Amazon Prime, Rooney argued that the interview was disrespectful to Martinez's team-mates and could damage dressing-room unity, BBC Sport reported. Young said recruitment needed to improve but stressed that players also had to perform, arguing that Martinez should not have aired his criticism publicly.

Carrick said he had not seen the interview and had only heard part of what Martinez had said. According to BBC Sport, he declined to give a fuller response immediately after the match and said he needed more information before deciding whether any action was required. He maintained that he did not doubt the group's togetherness or desire to win.