Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has expressed concern over the injury of defender Lisandro Martinez during the Europa League quarter-final with Sevilla. Martinez was forced to leave the pitch in the 86th minute after suffering an injury, leaving United with 10 men and no substitutes. Ten Hag said it was not an Achilles injury, but that they would have to wait and see.
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, who was at Old Trafford for BBC Radio 5 Live, criticised the lack of leadership from United’s players as Martinez lay injured. He was unimpressed that the Sevilla players were allowed to help Martinez off the pitch, as it did not give United’s players or manager the opportunity to regroup. Schmeichel suggested that captain Harry Maguire should have managed the situation better and that the players should have stopped the opposition from helping Martinez off the pitch.
Martinez joined United from Ajax last July in a deal worth up to £57m and looked visibly upset when he was helped off the pitch by Sevilla’s Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna, who also play for Argentina. United conceded a 92nd-minute equaliser and are likely to be without Martinez for the return leg next Thursday. Ten Hag said it was too early to tell how serious the injury is, but that it “does not look that great”.