Lisandro Martinez said out loud what many Manchester United fans already think. After a defeat in Madrid, he looked into the camera and asked for more from the people above the coach. Martinez slams Man United board leaders, and I agree with every word. Sacking another manager will not fix this club.

What Martinez Said in Madrid

Atletico Madrid beat United in the Champions League on Tuesday. Pablo Barrios scored inside the first minute. Leny Yoro saw red after a VAR check, and Ademola Lookman added the second.

Martinez called the display “really poor.” Then he named Jason Wilcox. “I expect more from our technical director,” he told Prime Video. He said United finished third last season, so the club should have built on it. He also asked a fair question. Why does everyone blame the coach and never look at other areas?

He did not hide from his own part either. He said the players must do more too. That honesty is why his words carry weight.

Martinez Slams Man United Board, and He Is Right

Look at the record. Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, United have hired seven permanent managers. Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Solskjaer, Ten Hag, Amorim, and now Carrick. Seven different plans. No real progress.

Carrick earned his chance. United finished 15th the season before he arrived. He won 11 of his 16 games as interim boss and led them to third. The club then gave him a two year deal in May. Six bad league games later, the noise has started again. Our breakdown of Man United’s worst start in 40 years shows how bad it looks. But firing him now would only start the cycle one more time.

A Lesson From Barcelona

I watched another giant go through this. In 2021, Barcelona owed €1.35bn. Lionel Messi left on a free transfer and cried at his farewell press conference. Everyone called it the end of an era.

Barcelona did not get everything right after that. They changed coaches too, and you can question how the club has handled its money. But they got the big call right. They trusted young players. Pedri, Gavi, and Ansu Fati got real minutes when the club had nothing else.

Then they found their coach and backed him fully. Under Hansi Flick, Barcelona won back to back La Liga titles. They sealed the second one by beating Real Madrid at Camp Nou, a night we covered in our Barcelona vs Real Madrid tactical analysis. Lamine Yamal had 16 league goals when they sealed it. Pau Cubarsi, a La Masia product who debuted at 16, became a regular at the back.

That is what patience looks like. Trust the plan. Trust the coach. Trust the kids.

What United Should Copy

Here’s the thing. United do not need a new manager. They need the people above Carrick to finish the job.

The summer shows the gap. United signed four senior players: Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, Carlos Baleba, and a goalkeeper. The midfield got rebuilt. The defence got nothing. When Martinez slams Man United board choices, that is the hole he means. He plays in that back line every week.

So the lesson is simple. Back the coach through the bad weeks. Give the young players a real run. Then build the squad around the manager, not the other way round.

What Comes Next

United travel to Leeds on Sunday. Carrick needs a result, and the players need to show they meant what Martinez said about doing more.

But the bigger test sits upstairs. Martinez slams Man United board figures because he has seen this film before. Barcelona showed that a big club can recover when it stops panicking. United should listen to their defender and do the same.