Lisandro Martinez apologises and is fined by Man Utd after blasting club chiefs

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has apologised for his public criticism of the club’s leadership following the team’s Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid, with the Argentina international reportedly receiving a fine for his comments.

Martinez faced criticism after suggesting that Manchester United had failed to provide head coach Michael Carrick with a sufficiently equipped squad following Tuesday’s defeat.

The centre-back subsequently held talks with the club’s leadership and Carrick on Thursday, October 15, to discuss his remarks before issuing a public apology.

In a statement shared on social media, Martinez described the meeting as positive and said both sides had been able to discuss the situation openly.

“Today I met with the club's leadership and the manager,” Martinez said.

“It was a very positive conversation, where we were able to exchange views and speak openly about what happened after Tuesday's game.

“Everyone knows that I am a passionate person and that I live football with great intensity.

“The frustration of the defeat led me to express how I felt at a time and place that perhaps were not the right ones, and for that I want to apologise.”

Despite the apology and subsequent discussions with the club, Martinez is understood to have been formally punished with a fine for his outburst.

The reported disciplinary action follows his public remarks about the squad available to Carrick, which raised questions about the relationship between the defender and the club’s hierarchy.

Martinez’s comments came in the aftermath of United’s Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid, a result that left the Argentine frustrated with the team’s performance and the circumstances surrounding the squad.

His subsequent meeting with the club’s leadership appears to have provided an opportunity to address the disagreement directly and clarify his position.