Manchester United fans have criticised Peter Schmeichel for ‘trying to be positive’ while interviewing Lisandro Martinez following the defender’s scathing attack on the club’s hierarchy.
Martinez delivered an extraordinary outburst to Amazon Prime accusing Manchester United’s chiefs of lacking ambition in the transfer market after his side suffered a 2-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Shortly after his explosive post-match interview, the centre-half joined Manchester United legend Schmeichel on American network CBS Sports and continued to hit out at the board for failing to build a suitably competitive squad for the season.
Schmeichel, who won the Champions League in 1999 during Manchester United’s historic Treble-winning season, began by asking Martinez to explain the team’s poor run of form, which has seen the Red Devils go five games without a win.
After admitting the team ‘aren’t playing well’ together and claiming there is a ‘disconnect’ between the players, Martinez again took aim at the board by criticising the size of United’s squad, insisting a lack of depth makes it difficult to compete.
‘The rotation in the team, we have many games and have to rotate players. For me, we don’t have the best squad,’ Martinez said.
Man United fans have criticised Peter Schmeichel for ‘trying to be positive’ while interviewing Lisandro Martinez, who launched an extraordinary attack on the club’s board on Tuesday
Martinez accused Man United’s chiefs of lacking ambition after losing 2-0 to Atletico Madrid
Asked what he could do in the dressing room to improve matters, the Argentine added: ‘We’re trying to be positive, trying to be honest. We have to change and do more because I think we are capable to do better. We have the players.
‘For sure, when you watch the television, you see the player and the manager and you point the finger, which is right – we take responsibility – but also as a club I expect more. I’m not going to close my mouth. We need more ambition, we need to talk more about winning Champions Leagues, winning Premier Leagues.’
To that, Schmeichel responded: ‘But the good news is that we’re only in October, there’s a long way to go.’
Cutting him off, Martinez interjected: ‘Yes, but every season we are saying the same thing. If we don’t say the truth, nothing will change.’
Several Red Devils fans were unimpressed by Schmeichel’s line of questioning during the interview, disappointed that he appeared to try and find a ‘positive’ to soften Martinez’s explosive attack on the board.
‘Schmeichel was trying to look the positive but Martinez nah not today buddy,’ one fan posted on social media platform X.
A second specifically hit out at the legendary former goalkeeper, writing: ‘Peter Schmeichel absolutely sucks at interviews btw (by the way).’
‘Schmeichel: “good news is we are only in October”. Licha (Martinez): “every season we say the same thing”. This brother has gained all my respect,’ a third posted.
A fourth said: ‘Schmeichel desperately trying to end the interview before he gets a call from United revoking his Old Trafford access.’
Another fan, indiscreetly claiming that pundits who once played for Manchester United go out of their way to protect the club, wrote: ‘Look at Schmeichel trying to shift the conversation elsewhere. Another one that has been compromised!’
Atletico Madrid took the lead against United in the first minute courtesy of Pablo Barrios, before sealing victory with Ademola Lookman’s 79th-minute strike shortly after Leny Yoro was shown a red card.
Singling out technical director Jason Wilcox after the match, Martinez furiously told Amazon Prime: ‘I don’t (you can blame Michael Carrick). He does his best. You can’t keep changing, changing, changing the manager.
‘What about other areas? Tonight it is easy to say the coach and easy to say the players, but also we have to see other areas.
Red Devils fans did not hold back in their criticism of Schmeichel’s ‘positive’ questioning
The legendary goalkeeper helped guide Manchester United to Champions League glory in 1999
‘I expect more (investment) 100 per cent. I expect more from our technical director. I have to control myself a lot but sometimes is a reflection of the mirror of how is our club at the moment.
‘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.’
Amad Diallo poured more petrol on the fire by taking to Snapchat in the wake of United’s 2-0 defeat, writing: ‘F***ing disgrace, I have no words,’ alongside a picture of himself on the pitch.
It’s not known whether Diallo was referring to the United performance, Martinez’s comments or any other grievance at a club veering wildly into crisis mode.
