Lisandro Martinez blasts Manchester United board after Champions League defeat

Lisandro Martinez did not hold back after Manchester United's 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. The Argentine centre-back took aim at the club's hierarchy for failing to strengthen the squad after securing a return to the Champions League, delivering a message that was as blunt as it was uncomfortable for the Old Trafford boardroom.

• Martinez demands more investment and points at technical director Jason Wilcox.
• United have now gone five games without a win after losing in Madrid.
• The club spent £155m in the summer, all on three midfielders.
• Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young believe the defender was wrong to speak publicly.
• The Argentine has one year left on his contract and no extension agreed.

Defeat at the Metropolitano leaves United winless in five

The loss to Atletico Madrid stretched Manchester United's run to five matches without a victory. The team last picked up three points on 10 September against Sabah FK, the reigning champions of Azerbaijan. Their only other win of the season came at Old Trafford against newly promoted Ipswich Town, and even that required a comeback.

Last season, United finished third in the Premier League and booked a return to Europe's top club competition after three years away. That achievement raised expectations which, in Martinez's view, have not been matched by the squad building that followed.

Martinez criticises Manchester United's board

The Argentine defender was direct when discussing the club's planning. He pointed to a strong previous campaign and made it clear he expected a step forward from the top, with signings that would raise internal competition. In his eyes, other clubs have been far more decisive in the market.

We did a fantastic season last season and now we expect more from the top, more players to compete because many teams bring many players as well.

Martinez went even further when referring to technical director Jason Wilcox. He said he expects more investment, without hesitation, and that it is easy to blame the coach or the players on nights like the one in Madrid, but that other areas of the club also need to be examined.

A £155m summer spent only on midfielders

United's summer business saw £155m invested in three midfielders. Yet no striker arrived to support Benjamin Sesko and no left-back came in to compete with Luke Shaw, two gaps that have been highlighted repeatedly during the opening months of the season.

That imbalance is exactly what Martinez is calling out. The centre-back believes there is no point changing managers over and over without reviewing the other structures that shape a team's performance. He stressed that last season provided the foundation to build an ambitious side.

Rooney and Young fear damage inside the dressing room

The Argentine's comments drew an immediate response on Amazon Prime. Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young, two former Old Trafford stalwarts who were in Madrid for the match, agreed that the defender went too far and that his words could hurt the dressing room.

Something like that will rip that dressing room apart.

Rooney recalled his own public criticism of the club in 2010, which sparked a furious response from Sir Alex Ferguson. The former striker admitted it was a mistake and that he apologised. Now he sees Martinez's move as premeditated, a way of speaking on behalf of the players that does no favours to the group and can come across as disrespectful to his own teammates.

Martinez's contract situation at Manchester United

The defender has one year remaining on his United deal and has yet to agree an extension. That contractual backdrop adds further noise to an episode that has already sparked debate among fans and former players alike.