Manchester United central defender Lisandro Martinez has hit back at critics who have claimed that he is ‘too small’ ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
Argentine World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez will be looking to secure his first piece of silverware with Manchester United on Sunday, as they take on Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Martinez looks set to start the match, alongside four-time UEFA Champions League winner Raphael Varane.
The 25-year-old has excelled in his first season in England, but he hasn’t been without his critics since arriving from Ajax in the summer.
Upon the announcement of his move to Manchester, claims were made that Martinez was ‘too small’ to be a defender in the Premier League – most notably by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.
5″9 Martinez has certainly silenced the likes of Carragher since, becoming one of the best and most consistent defenders in the Premier League.
What a night 🔥👹The teamwork, the character, the rocking stands… MANCHESTER UNITED!! #mufc #uel pic.twitter.com/bURCyTHwvc
— Lisandro Martinez (@LisandrMartinez) February 24, 2023
Martinez’ Comments
In an interview with the Telegraph, Martinez responded to his critics.
“To be honest, I put my full focus here. I can’t control that [what people say], you know, it’s just an opinion.
“I understand when people say that – they show me who they are, you know? It’s not my problem. I’m really happy, the people are happy with me as well. That’s the most important thing.” he continued.
“In the beginning, in Argentina, it was the same. But it’s normal because, in football, it’s not normal to play as a centre-back with my height. It’s not easy as well, you know – you have to work very hard. You have to be very clever on the pitch, you have to be sharp in every situation but if you’re smart you can win the duels.
“It was a tough [start] for sure. The way we lose, the attitude was really bad. We spoke in the dressing room, we said everything [we had to]. We looked at how do you say it? … the badge and said, ‘Guys, this is not possible. We have to change this’. Directly, we started to change everything – the energy, in the training, fighting. And then we showed another spirit, another energy, another [level of] teamwork.”
Carabao Cup Final Odds
- Manchester United to win @ 16/13
- Draw @ 12/5
- Newcastle United to win @ 28/11
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