Martinez Rips Man Utd Board Over Transfer Policy as Kane Breaks Messi’s Champions League Record
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Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez launched a pointed attack on the club’s hierarchy after Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid left United without a win in five games, telling Amazon Prime Video he expects “more investment” from technical director Jason Wilcox after a summer spend of 155 million pounds on three midfielders with no reinforcements for striker Benjamin Sesko or left-back cover for Luke Shaw. Martinez noted United had finished third last season to return to the Champions League “and now we expect more from the top,” with former players Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young warning on the same broadcast that such public criticism risked dividing the dressing room.
Harry Kane scored twice as Bayern Munich were held 3-3 by Norwegian champions Viking, taking his Champions League tally since turning 30 to 36 goals in 40 games — one ahead of Lionel Messi’s record of 35 — and extending his run of scoring in nine consecutive Champions League matches, BBC Sport reported. Viking, playing in the competition’s top tier for the first time since 1992-93, took a 2-0 first-half lead before Michael Olise was sent off for Bayern, with substitute Herman Haugen equalising late on for a side managed jointly by Morten Jensen and Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim.
Transfer and squad notes
Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique said he was “surprised” by Manchester City’s guilty verdict on financial rule breaches and hopes the club “can avoid the sanction,” speaking at a news conference at Etihad Stadium ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League meeting, BBC Sport reported. Enrique, a friend of former City manager Pep Guardiola, said the trophies City won “deserved” their place “on the pitch” regardless of the outcome of the disciplinary process; Guardiola is expected to make his first return to Etihad Stadium since leaving at the end of last season.
What it means for the league
Martinez’s comments add player unrest to a season already defined by Manchester United’s poor form, putting fresh pressure on the club’s recruitment strategy just as they sit outside the Champions League’s qualifying positions after two rounds. Kane’s record-breaking form keeps Bayern competitive even as their continental campaign hits an unexpected bump against a Norwegian side with a genuinely unusual two-head-coach setup. Luis Enrique’s sympathetic comments on Manchester City, delivered on the eve of facing them, underline how widely respected City’s footballing achievements remain across Europe even as the club’s off-field case continues to dominate headlines.