Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has apologised for his public outburst after the club’s 2-0 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid, following talks with the club’s leadership and head coach Michael Carrick.
Martinez met technical director Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada on Thursday, with Carrick also present. The discussions addressed the defender’s criticism of the club hierarchy and his frustration over Manchester United’s summer investment in the squad.
In a statement issued later that night, Martinez said the meeting had been “a very positive conversation” in which those involved were able to “exchange views and speak openly” about his comments after Tuesday’s match.
“Everyone knows that I am a passionate person and that I live football with great intensity,” he said. “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.”
Martinez added that Manchester United were strongest when united and acknowledged that his words had not helped achieve that. He said every person at the club was working towards their shared ambition of delivering the success supporters deserved.
“With this situation now behind us, we are fully focused on winning together,” the defender said.
It is understood that the decision to issue the apology came from Martinez. Any disciplinary action or further internal discussions will remain private between the player and the club, which now regards the matter as closed.
Martinez had released a statement on Wednesday to clarify his outburst, but did not apologise at that stage. Manchester United now turn their attention to Sunday’s meeting with Leeds.
