Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has confirmed that the club has moved on from the controversy surrounding Lisandro Martínez, with the defender set to be available for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Leeds United.
Martínez came under scrutiny after publicly criticising Manchester United’s transfer strategy and the club’s hierarchy following the 2–0 Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid. The Argentina international subsequently met with Carrick and senior club officials, acknowledged his mistake and apologised for the timing and manner of his comments.
Carrick: Martínez Has Realised His Mistake
Speaking ahead of the Leeds fixture, Carrick made it clear that Manchester United have no intention of allowing the incident to become a continuing distraction.
“Lisandro Martínez has realised his mistake,” Carrick said. “That’s good enough for all of us. From our point of view, the acknowledgement is enough.”
The United boss stressed that the situation had already been dealt with internally and that the squad had moved forward.
“It’s done, really. We’ve moved on from that,” Carrick said. “There’s no drama for us as a group.”
Martínez's comments had focused particularly on the club's summer recruitment and technical director Jason Wilcox. The defender had questioned whether United had done enough to strengthen the squad after finishing third in the Premier League last season.
He later apologised, explaining that the frustration of the defeat had caused him to express his feelings at a time and in a manner that he accepted was inappropriate.
Martínez Available Against Leeds
Carrick has also confirmed that Martínez will be included in the Manchester United squad for Sunday's Premier League meeting with Leeds United.
“He's part of the squad,” Carrick confirmed.
The decision means the defender will not be dropped from the squad as a result of the incident. Reports indicate that Martínez has been fined by Manchester United as punishment, but the club now considers the disciplinary matter resolved.
The focus will therefore return to football, with United looking to improve their recent results.
Carrick Praises United Training Session
Carrick was also keen to emphasise the positive atmosphere inside the Manchester United dressing room despite the team's recent difficulties.
The manager said Friday's training session was among the best since he took charge.
“The squad today in training was in a fantastic place, one of the best sessions since I'm here,” Carrick said.
He added that the players were in good spirits and that there was a noticeable freshness within the group.
Carrick's comments came amid questions about whether Martínez's criticism had created tension between players and the club's hierarchy. The manager rejected that suggestion, insisting that the squad had responded positively and that the incident had not damaged the team's unity.
'It's Not About Me' — Carrick
Carrick also addressed the pressure surrounding Manchester United's recent results and his own position.
Rather than focusing on his personal situation, the United head coach insisted that the club's interests come before any individual.
“I don't need results. We all need results. It's not about me,” Carrick said.
“Manchester United is bigger than an individual, so please, I don't go into every day thinking about me.”
He continued: “It's not about any individual player; it's about this football club and its history.”
The comments underline Carrick's emphasis on collective responsibility as United attempt to turn around a difficult run of form.
United Move Forward With Martínez
With Martínez's apology accepted, the reported fine dealt with and the defender cleared to face Leeds, Manchester United have effectively drawn a line under the controversy.
Carrick's message has been consistent: the incident has been acknowledged, handled internally and is no longer something the squad wants to discuss.
United will now hope that the unity Carrick described in training translates into a stronger performance on the pitch when they travel to Elland Road.
For Martínez, the Leeds match provides an opportunity to put the controversy behind him and return his attention to his role on the field.
