Madrid’s Champions League night left Manchester United with more than a 2-0 defeat to carry home. Lisandro Martínez criticised the club’s leadership after Atlético de Madrid won in the Spanish capital on Tuesday, arguing that United need greater investment and clearer support from above.
Key takeaways
- Atlético de Madrid beat Manchester United 2-0 in the Champions League.
- Leny Yoro was sent off with Atlético leading 1-0.
- Lisandro Martínez called United’s display “really poor” and “regrettable”.
- The Argentina international urged the club’s hierarchy to recruit more players.
- Martínez specifically challenged football director Jason Wilcox to do more.
A difficult evening in the capital
United’s 28-year-old defender, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, did not seek refuge in Yoro’s dismissal when assessing the performance. Martínez, who wore the number six and was involved in a duel with Grimaldo during the match, said the red card could not explain the scale of the visitors’ shortcomings.
“We were very poor, truly poor,” Martínez said. “I have to be careful about what I say, but sometimes it reflects where the club is at this moment. Red card or no red card, we cannot produce that. What stays with me is that our performance was regrettable.”
His comments went beyond the pitch in Madrid. Martínez warned against a familiar cycle of changing managers while overlooking the work required elsewhere inside the club.
“You cannot keep changing, changing and changing the coach,” he said. “It is easy, on a night like this, to talk about the manager and the players, but what about the other departments? We also need to look at those areas.”
Call for backing from United’s hierarchy
Asked directly whether United need further signings, Martínez gave an unequivocal answer. He said he expected more investment and demanded a stronger contribution from Wilcox, while also accepting that the players themselves must improve.
“One hundred per cent,” he said. “I expect more investment and more from our football director. I have to be honest: we, as players, have to do more too. But when you have a strong squad, you must be ready for a night like this.”
Martínez pointed to the previous campaign, when United moved away from the threat of relegation in the 2025/26 Premier League season and chased an unlikely place in the Champions League. In his view, that recovery should now be followed by meaningful reinforcement.
“We had a fantastic season last year,” he said. “Now we expect more from the board and senior leadership: bring in more players so we can compete, because many other teams have recruited heavily.”
