Man United’s Martinez takes to social media to defend his criticism of club

What the report says

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez used social media to explain comments he made after the club’s 2-0 Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. In a Wednesday post on Instagram, the Argentina international said his remarks were driven by frustration and a strong desire for United to compete for major honours. He had earlier criticized the club’s leadership, called for more investment in the squad and questioned director of football Jason Wilcox’s recruitment work.

Martinez did not apologize, but he said the players also share responsibility for improving performances and pushing the team back toward the top. He said he believes in his teammates, manager Michael Carrick and the staff around the club, and urged collective work, ambition and commitment. The comments were framed as a response to the disappointment of the result rather than a wider dispute.

The defeat left United without a win in five matches in all competitions and added to pressure around Carrick as the team readjusts to the Champions League after two seasons away. Al Jazeera, citing Reuters, reported that United had not publicly responded to Martinez’s remarks, while other outlets reported that Wilcox still had the backing of the club’s leadership. Carrick is scheduled to address reporters before Sunday’s league match at Leeds United.