"I expected more from the technical director, to be honest," Martinez told Amazon Prime after the match at Metropolitano Stadium on 13/10. "We need more players to be competitive. Man Utd played well last season, but now we are very far from the top group."

Martinez could not hide his anger after Man Utd's defeat to Atletico. The visitors conceded in the opening minute to a goal from Pablo Barrios, before Ademola Lookman sealed the 2-0 victory in the 79th minute. Sandwiched between the two goals was a direct red card for center-back Leny Yoro, further incapacitating the English side.

"The performance was terrible, truly terrible," Martinez said. "I had to try to control myself. But sometimes, matches like these reflect the club's situation. Look at Atletico; they have an excellent squad and fully deserved the win."

Lisandro Martinez (in blue) competes with Alejandro Grimaldo in Man Utd's 0-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League qualifying round on 13/10 at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid. Photo: AFP

Coach Michael Carrick helped Man Utd improve significantly in the latter half of the 2025-2026 season, after taking charge at Old Trafford in 1/2026. Under his leadership, Man Utd won 12 of 17 matches, finishing third to return to the Champions League and fostering significant optimism ahead of the new season.

However, since the start of the current season, the "Red Devils" have struggled. The club has won only one of their first six Premier League matches, marking their worst league start in 40 years. The Old Trafford side was also eliminated early from the English League Cup after a 2-0 lead against Brighton turned into a defeat.

According to Martinez, last season's success should have been a foundation for Man Utd to continue strengthening their squad. However, the 2026 summer transfer market did not meet his expectations. The "Red Devils" only added three first-team midfielders: Youri Tielemans, Carlos Baleba, and Andrey Santos, alongside reserve goalkeeper Karl Darlow.

"As players, we have to do better. But to be ready for matches like this, it's important to build a strong enough squad," Martinez emphasized. "Last season, we created a foundation to build an excellent team. It's frustrating to come here and not be able to get a good result."

Martinez believes Carrick did not receive full support in the transfer market, also questioning the club's management. "He did everything he could, but each season is different," the 28-year-old said. "Opponents understand how you play, down to the smallest detail. If you don't change season after season, you will face big problems. Change coaches, then change coaches again, continuously? What about other departments? I cannot say more. It's easy to blame the coach, easy to blame the players, but where is the responsibility of other departments?"

The result at Metropolitano yesterday extended Man Utd's winless streak to five matches, since defeating Azerbaijani champions Sabah 4-0 in the first leg of the Champions League qualifying round on 10/9. Before that, they had secured only one victory, beating newly promoted Ipswich Town 5-2 in the second round of the Premier League at Old Trafford in late August.

Coach Carrick applauds Man Utd fans after the loss to Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League qualifying round at Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid on 13/10/2026. Photo: AFP

When asked about Martinez's statement, new signing Tielemans declined to comment. Meanwhile, Carrick stated he had not yet seen the interview and did not want to react hastily. "I think that's partly the emotion after the match, when he's disappointed not to get the desired result," Carrick expressed. "Immediately after the match is not the right time to discuss this interview."

The Man Utd coach stressed that the team needs to quickly shift focus to the match against Leeds United in the 7th round of the Premier League on 18/10. He also wants to fully understand what Martinez said before deciding if any action is necessary.

In contrast to Carrick's cautious approach, former striker Wayne Rooney believes Martinez "crossed the line" by publicly criticizing the board and squad quality. "I used to be a frank player, always wanting to express my views. But he probably went too far. Such matters should be resolved internally," Rooney commented on Amazon Prime.

The former Man Utd captain acknowledged Martinez had a point in demanding the club strengthen the squad, particularly in attack and defense. However, he argued that the Argentine center-back's delivery made listeners feel he had harbored prior dissatisfaction. Rooney also suggested Martinez's criticism could hurt his teammates, as it indirectly implied they were not good enough to play for Man Utd.

"Fans want to see players care about the club, and Martinez clearly cares," Rooney further commented. "But those statements sound like something he had been waiting for an opportunity to say, rather than just reflecting the performance in the match. That is somewhat disrespectful to his teammates. He is saying they are not good enough. I think Bruno Fernandes is the only one who has the right to publicly say such things. These statements will not help anything."

By Hong Duy