Ljungberg says Martinez red card 'made me feel sick' as United weigh contract decision

Freddie Ljungberg has delivered a scathing verdict on Lisandro Martinez after the Manchester United defender was sent off during a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge, saying the incident left him feeling physically sick — as reports emerge that the club is preparing contract talks with the Argentine.

Martinez received two yellow cards within one minute and 22 seconds in the second half, the dismissal coming after he struck Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana in the face while challenging for a corner with his back to the ball. The referee initially missed the foul, but VAR intervened to award a penalty and trigger the red card, effectively ending any hope of a United comeback.

Speaking on Viaplay, Ljungberg did not hold back. “I feel sorry for Michael Carrick,” the former Arsenal winger said. “Everybody is slaughtering Carrick in the media — ‘Is he good enough as a coach, this and that’ — the players are not doing it. How they behave, Martinez doing what he did, I was there and I felt a bit sick. I’ve seen this quite a few times when he does stupid things, doesn’t think about the team first. They let him down.”

Former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, appearing alongside Ljungberg, echoed the criticism. “He has cost so many goals and that is one of the issues with Manchester United, that they’re leaking goals for fun,” Schmeichel said. “If you’re a big player, you played in a World Cup final, you just can’t perform like that, come out with statements like that, and then perform like he did against Chelsea. For me that’s not good enough.”

The outburst from pundits follows an already turbulent period for Martinez, who drew widespread attention after an explosive post-match interview in which he publicly criticised the United hierarchy.

United manager Carrick did not acknowledge Martinez as the defender trudged towards the tunnel after his dismissal, a gesture widely interpreted as a sign of the manager’s frustration.

Off the pitch, Martinez’s future at Old Trafford is now under active review. The 26-year-old has entered the final year of his contract, though the club hold an option to extend it until 2028. According to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, United plan to hold direct discussions with Martinez in the coming days and weeks before deciding their next move, with options including activating the extension clause or allowing him to depart at the end of the season.