Lisandro Martínez delivered a scathing assessment of Manchester United's leadership following their 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid, pointing the finger directly at the board for failing to adequately bolster the squad.
The Argentine defender pulled no punches after a passive performance in the Spanish capital, describing the display as "really poor" and admitting the team’s current plight is a direct reflection of how the club is being run from the top.
Coming off a promising campaign that secured their return to Europe’s elite competition, Martínez insisted that the squad needed significant reinforcement to maintain their trajectory and keep pace with their domestic and continental rivals.
"We expect more from the top, from up, to bring more players to compete," Martínez said.
"Many teams bring many players as well, and today also Atlético, they have an amazing team, and they deserved to win."
Pressed on whether the playing group was given enough help in the transfer window, the 28-year-old expressed clear frustration with the club's recruitment strategy, even calling out technical director Jason Wilcox for a lack of ambition in the market.
United spent roughly £155m on four major signings over the summer, but failed to address critical voids at left-back and upfront.
"I expect more from our technical director, I have to be honest," Martínez added. "As players, we have to do more, but it’s also so important when you build a strong squad to be ready for these kinds of nights."
While under-fire manager Michael Carrick continues to bear the brunt of public criticism for United’s sluggish form, Martínez leapt to his manager's defence. He argued that repeated managerial changes solve nothing if the broader operational structure remains flawed.
"I don't think so," Martínez remarked when asked if the manager was at fault.
"He does his best. Every season is different, and if you don't change, next season is a big problem. You can change the manager, but what about other areas? It's easy to say the coach or the players, but we have to see other areas."