(CNN) - Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez urged Manchester United’s management to invest more effectively in the team’s lineup, following the 2-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, considering that responsibility for the club’s stumbles should not be limited to the coach and players only.
The pressure on coach Michael Carrick is increasing after the defeat in the Spanish capital, which made the team complete five consecutive matches in various competitions without achieving any victory. Returning to European competitions was not a lifeline to end their suffering, with their worst start in the English Premier League in 40 years.
Martinez called for more ambition from those in charge of the contract file, wondering whether United had made enough effort to form a squad capable of competing steadily against the major European clubs.
Martinez did not contain his emotions in the post-match interview, as he told the Amazon Prime network, saying: “Very bad performance. Very bad. I have to control myself a lot, but sometimes it reflects the situation of our club at the moment.”
He added: “We had a great season last year, and now we expect more from the senior management to bring in more competitive players, especially since many other teams have strengthened their ranks with many players as well.”
He continued: “Atletico has a great team, and they deserve to win today.”
Martinez insisted that strengthening the squad was necessary, but acknowledged that the players also needed to improve their levels.
“I expect more [investment], for sure,” he said. And I expect more from our manager [Jason Wilcox]. I have to be honest; As players, we have to do more, but it is also important - when building a strong squad - that we are prepared for evenings like this.”
He continued: “In general, I think we did everything last season; We have laid the foundation for building a great team. But, honestly, it's about proving something, and to come here and lose is upsetting and disappointing."
He added: "I don't see my team aiming for an amazing result here. It's disappointing."
The defender also questioned whether changes to the coaching staff alone would be enough to solve United's ongoing problems, calling for other aspects of the club to be subjected to greater scrutiny.
The 28-year-old said: "I don't think so. I don't think so. [Carrick] is doing his best, but every season is different. You can't rest on what you achieved last season; the opposing teams know you and your playing style, they know every detail, and if you don't make a change the next season, you will face a big problem."
He added: "You start changing coaches over and over again, but what about other aspects? I can't say more. It's easy tonight to blame the coach or the players, but we also have to look at other aspects."
His statements came after a difficult evening in Madrid. Atletico scored in the first minute through Pablo Barrios, who put the ball into the net after a cross from Alex Baena inside the penalty area, so Aiden Haven was unable to block the shot.
Later, Johnny Cardoso had a goal disallowed for handball following a VAR review. On the other hand, United posed a threat; Bruno Fernandes hit the crossbar, while Julian Alvarez hit the post early in the second half.
United's hopes of returning to the result suffered a severe blow after French defender Lenny Euro was sent off - following a video technology review (VAR) - after he committed a violation against Jonathan David as the last defender.
Atletico took advantage of its numerical superiority in the 79th minute, when Ademola Lookman followed up on the rebound after goalkeeper Sean Lamins blocked Jonathan David's first attempt.
The defeat increased the pressure on Carrick, whose team struggled to turn promising moments into a continuous attacking threat.
Martinez's criticism also shed light on United's summer signings. The club included several players in its ranks, including midfielders Carlos Paleba (from Brighton), Andre Santos (from Chelsea), and Youri Tielemans (from Aston Villa).
The total announced fees for the deals to include the three prominent midfielders amounted to about 155 million pounds sterling, without potential additional incentives.
Despite that investment, Martinez's statements raise questions about whether the player recruitments have provided the depth and balance necessary to compete at the highest levels.
Director of Football, Wilcox, leads the department responsible for player recruitment and squad development, while CEO, Omar Berrada, oversees the club's wider operations and strategic framework. Both play an important role in ensuring that transfer decisions are consistent with Manchester United's sporting ambitions.
Although Martinez did not explicitly mention the name of any of the executives, his demand for more support from the senior leadership and his criticism of the technical director shed light on the leadership responsible for the contract file at the club.
Tielemans was also asked about Martinez's comments during a separate interview with Amazon Prime, but the player - who joined United in the summer - refused to comment.
Meanwhile, Carrick defended aspects of his team's performance, but pointed to missed opportunities and Euro's sending off as major factors in the result.
The English coach said: “We had four very good chances, so the match could have taken a completely different path. I must say that the decision to show the red card was a bad decision; it was against our advantage, which made things difficult after that.”
He continued: "It is a difficult stadium, and we were prepared for that. We are disappointed that we did not create more chances."
When asked about Martinez's interview, Carrick said that he had not seen those statements and refused to respond to them directly, preferring instead to urge the club to unite and unite ahead of the match scheduled for Sunday against Leeds.
Carrick told Amazon Prime: “I did not see the footage. After a match like this, you come here looking to get a positive result, and we are disappointed, so emotions can sometimes overpower reactions. I did not see the footage, so I don’t think this is the right time to comment on it.”
He added: “I fully realize that we all care, and we express it in different ways, but it is time for us to come together; We have a big match waiting for us and we have to prepare for it on Sunday.”
