Lisandro Martinez apologises after criticising Manchester United leadership

Lisandro Martinez apologised on Thursday, October 15, after criticising Manchester United's leadership following Tuesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid in Spain. The defender said he had met club leaders and manager Michael Carrick; BBC Sport reported that United fined him. His selection for Sunday's trip to Leeds United remains uncertain.

What Martinez said after meeting United leaders

Martinez described Thursday's conversation with the club's leadership and Carrick as positive. In his statement, he said frustration at the defeat had led him to speak at a time and place that may not have been right, and he apologised for his remarks.

He also said he believed in his teammates, Carrick and others working to move Manchester United forward, and called for the club to remain united. Those comments marked a change in tone from his criticism after the Atletico match, when he said he expected more investment in the squad and more from technical director Jason Wilcox.

Why Martinez criticised Manchester United's investment

The criticism followed United's loss in Spain on Tuesday. AFP reported that the club had made its worst start to a Premier League season in 40 years. Martinez's comments put the club's investment and its technical director under public scrutiny at a difficult point in the season.

Fine, Leeds selection and Martinez's contract

BBC Sport reported, citing its understanding, that Martinez had been formally punished with a fine. The BBC also said it was uncertain whether Carrick would select him for Sunday's match at Leeds United. Neither the apology nor the reported fine settles his immediate place in the team.

Martinez's contract expires at the end of the season, according to the BBC. United has an option to extend it by 12 months, but the club has yet to decide whether to use it. That leaves a longer-term decision about the defender alongside the immediate question of his selection for Leeds.