Jamie Carragher Brands Lisandro Martinez's Manchester United Rant 'Awful' as Wayne Rooney Calls It Disrespectful

Pundits Round on Defender After Atletico Rant

Jamie Carragher has branded Lisandro Martinez's criticism of Manchester United's hierarchy "awful", while Wayne Rooney said the Argentina defender had gone too far and disrespected his team-mates, in reaction reported on 14 October 2026.

The fallout followed United's 2-0 Champions League defeat away at Atletico Madrid, played with ten men, after which Martinez publicly challenged the club's summer recruitment and singled out technical director Jason Wilcox, arguing the squad was not at Champions League level.

Carragher Points to Poor Form

Carragher described the comments as "awful" and pointed to Martinez's poor start to the season as context for the outburst, questioning the wisdom of a player attacking his own club so publicly.

Rooney: He Disrespected His Team-mates

Rooney, meanwhile, warned that the public remarks could damage the dressing room, saying the defender had crossed a line and disrespected his fellow players by suggesting they were not good enough to compete at the top level.

The criticism echoed the mood inside Old Trafford, where Sky Sports News has reported anger and bemusement at the comments, with at least one team-mate challenging Martinez as the squad travelled home from Madrid.