The Argentine Lisandro Martínez, defender for Manchester United, has issued an apology following his controversial remarks in which he criticised the club's management after the loss to Atlético in the UEFA Champions League last Tuesday.
Lisandro Martínez has indicated that Manchester United's management did not provide manager Michael Carrick with a sufficiently prepared squad, calling for greater investments in the team and criticizing sporting director Jason Wilcox.
The player held a meeting with club officials and the coach on Thursday, before issuing a statement via his social media accounts, in which he said: "I met today with the club's leadership and the coach, and it was a very positive dialogue, during which we were able to exchange views and speak frankly about what happened after Tuesday's match."
The Argentine defender added: "Everyone knows that I am a passionate person, and I live football with great enthusiasm. The frustration from the defeat drove me to express what I feel at a time and place that perhaps were not appropriate, and so I would like to apologize."
Martínez continued: "Our club is at its best when we are all united, and I realize that my words at that moment did not help achieve that. I know that everyone at Manchester United is doing their utmost to achieve our shared ambition, which is to bring back the success that the club and its fans deserve."
He concluded by saying: "After overcoming this situation, our focus is now entirely on achieving victories together."
According to the BBC, Manchester United have imposed a financial penalty on Lisandro Martínez due to his statements, at a time when Michael Carrick is expected to clarify his position on the crisis during the press conference scheduled for Friday, ahead of the match against Leeds United on Sunday in the Premier League.
Lisandro Martínez's participation in the next match remains uncertain, with doubts surrounding his long-term future at the club, as his current contract expires at the end of the season, although the club has the option to extend it for another year.
Despite considering the issue of his statements resolved following an apology and a meeting with the management, Manchester United have not yet made a decision regarding the activation of the extension clause for their 28-year-old Argentine defender.
