Sports

Lisandro Martinez Criticises United’s Summer Spending After 2-0 Loss to Atletico Madrid

By AFP

Manchester United were beaten 2-0 by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, leaving the club winless in five matches across all competitions and marking the worst start to a league season in 40 years. Defender Lisandro Martinez said the club’s board had failed to invest enough in the squad during the summer. Speaking to Amazon Prime, Martinez called the club’s performance “really poor” and said it reflected how the club is currently operating. He added that he expected “100 percent” more investment after United finished third in the Premier League last season and returned to Europe’s top competition. Martinez criticised the technical director, Jason Wilcox, and said that while players must do more, a strong squad must be ready for nights like the one against Atletico. He said the club had built a base for an “amazing team” last season but did not follow through. The club’s coach, Michael Carrick, faces pressure after five games without a win, but Martinez said sacking him was not the solution. He urged that other areas be examined rather than blaming the manager or players alone. Minority owner Jim Ratcliffe watched the match. United spent about £140 million ($185 million) on midfielders Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, but fans were unhappy the club did not reinforce other positions such as left‑back and striker. Carrick said he had not heard Martinez’s comments and could not judge them, while former United striker Wayne Rooney called Martinez’s criticism excessive and suggested it should have stayed internal.