Lisandro Martínez has publicly criticised Manchester United’s hierarchy after the club’s 2‑0 loss to Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, arguing that the team was not adequately strengthened during the summer transfer window. The Argentine defender said the club’s lack of investment was a key factor in the defeat, directing his comments mainly at director of football Jason Wilcox.
United’s defeat in Madrid marked the third loss in five matches against Diego Simeone’s side, and the club’s poor run of form has intensified scrutiny on manager Michael Carrick. Carrick has won only one of his last seven games, and the pressure on him to keep his job is mounting. Martínez, however, insisted that the blame should fall on those in charge of recruitment rather than on the manager or the players. “We did a fantastic season last year and now we expect more from the top, more players to compete because many teams bring many players as well,” he told Amazon Prime after the match. “I expect more from our technical director, Jason Wilcox. I have to be honest, 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.”
United spent just £150 million on new signings this summer, a figure that is significantly lower than the spending of their Big Six rivals. Martínez said that the club’s “really poor” investment strategy had left the squad ill‑prepared for the challenge posed by Atlético, who “have an amazing team and they deserve to win today.” He added that the club needed to “expect more [investment] 100 %” and that the technical director should be held accountable for the lack of reinforcement.
When asked about the pressure on Carrick, Martínez pointed to the club’s senior leadership, saying that “you can’t keep changing the manager.” He emphasized that the team must adapt and evolve each season, noting that “the teams know how you play, they know every detail, if you don’t change next season is a big problem.” The defender expressed frustration at seeing the squad “not trying to get an amazing result” and described the situation as “annoying” and “disappointing.”
Carrick, who was asked about Martínez’s comments, denied having seen the statement and declined to comment further. He said that after a match like this “you come here to try and get something from the game and you are disappointed and can be emotional.” He stressed that the club’s players were “great” and that the results had not reflected their efforts, urging the team to stay united and work through the difficulties together. The club now faces the challenge of addressing the transfer‑market shortcomings while trying to regain momentum in both domestic and European competitions.