Lisandro Martínez apologises to Manchester United after Wilcox outburst and recruitment criticism

The outburst

Lisandro Martínez criticised Manchester United's hierarchy after the 2-0 Champions League defeat at Atlético Madrid on Tuesday, 13 October. In post-match interviews, first on Amazon Prime Video's UK coverage and then on CBS Sports, the Argentina international said he expected more investment from the technical director, Jason Wilcox, whom he did not name but referred to by job title. He said Carrick had not been backed sufficiently and that a strong squad must be ready for nights like this one. He also said United currently appear to lack "belief" and "energy", and that the team's body language turns "negative" after setbacks.

Apology and reaction

On Wednesday, 14 October, Martínez posted a statement on social media saying he had spoken out of anger and frustration, but he did not apologise at that point. After talks with Carrick and the leadership group on Thursday, 15 October, he posted an apology on Instagram. In it he wrote:

The frustration of the defeat led me to express how I felt at a time and place that perhaps were not the right ones

He described the conversation as "very positive" and said the squad was focused on winning together. Former United captain Roy Keane said the club was chaotic from the top to the bottom and that Martínez's statements reflected it. Gary Neville argued the interview was a direct attack on team-mates, and that senior players such as Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire would be angry. Sky Sports reported that at least one player challenged Martínez over his comments on the flight back from Spain.

Contract and possible sanction

United will not make any disciplinary action public, and the club's internal view is that the matter is closed, according to United sources cited by The New York Times. The Guardian understood Martínez had been fined, while the BBC reported he had been formally punished with a fine. N-tv, citing The Athletic, said a fine was considered unavoidable inside the club. His contract expires at the end of the season and carries an option to extend by one year, but Sky information cited by N-tv says no extension is planned and United do not intend to use the option. Martínez, 28, joined from Ajax in summer 2022 for around 57 million euros, and a move to La Liga is considered a possible next step.

United's season and spending

United have six points from six league games, their poorest start since 1986 according to The Guardian, and sit 13th in the Premier League. Their most recent win came against Sabah on 10 September, and their only other win this season came against newly promoted Ipswich Town at Old Trafford. The Guardian reported United spent £155m in the market, all on midfielders Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba, even though Wilcox had targeted a left-back. N-tv gave a higher summer investment figure of more than 170 million without naming its currency. Carrick is due to hold a news conference on Friday, 16 October, before the game against Leeds United on Sunday, 18 October.

1. Oct 13, 2026Champions League defeat at Atlético Madrid, 2-0, followed by Martínez's post-match criticism
2. Oct 14, 2026Martínez posts a statement saying he spoke out of anger and frustration
3. Oct 15, 2026Martínez apologises after talks with Michael Carrick and the leadership group