Lisandro Martinez, the Manchester United defender, expressed his frustrations following the team's 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. He highlighted the squad's lack of strength and cohesion, stating that the current performance levels are not sufficient for competing in Europe’s elite tournament.

The match started poorly for United, conceding a goal to Alex Baena just one minute in. Ademola Lookman added a second in the 79th minute, capping off a dominant display from the Spanish side. This loss leaves United with only three wins in nine games this season, marking a challenging start for head coach Michael Carrick in his first full campaign.

In a post-match interview on the UEFA Champions League Today show, Martinez remarked:

We're not playing well as a team. We can't [string] three or four passes together, and the body language [is bad]. We need to talk more about winning the Champions League.

He emphasized the need for the team to elevate its standards, asserting that they are capable of better performances. Martinez, who joined the club in summer 2022, pointed out the ongoing inconsistency that has plagued United for years, noting that they last won the Premier League in 2012-13 under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Atletico manager Diego Simeone also critiqued United’s tactics, saying they were aware of how to exploit their weaknesses. He noted the effectiveness of his team's strategy in countering United's press, which led to their success.

Martinez did not shy away from being candid in his assessments, stating, "Really poor. I expect more from our technical director. We have to do more as players, but investment is crucial for competing at this level." He reiterated the necessity for a stronger squad to handle challenging matches in the future.