There’s a collective understanding in pre-season about certain types of challenges. The main two goals are to gain match sharpness ahead of the forthcoming season and to avoid injury. Some players just don’t get the memo, however.There are certain footballers who aren’t quite sure what a friendly is. Those types of players simply see an opponent, the chance of victory, and the opportunity to win in any way possible. And this can usually result in some fairly reckless challenges.Unfortunately for Arsenal, too, Lisandro Martinez is one of those types of players. The Manchester United defender did not hold back in the Red Devils’ pre-season friendly against the Gunners, making a challenge arguably worthy of a red card – as you can see in the footage below.
Did Lisandro Martinez deserve a red card vs Arsenal?
It says a lot about a challenge when it warrants a red card in a friendly, such is the rarity that a referee reaches for his back pocket in such games. But Martinez’s tackle could have quite easily led to his dismissal against Arsenal.
Of course, it’s little surprise that a game between the two Premier League giants ignored all the premises of what a friendly usually is. Yet, this didn’t stop Arsenal players from showing their discontent when Martinez slammed into Bukayo Saka, with his boot particularly high.
Whilst his nickname around Old Trafford is the butcher, we’re not quite sure those in North London will appreciate the World Cup winner’s attempt to slice their star man in half.
Club captain Martin Odegaard was quick to defend Saka, too, squaring up to Martinez to start collective pushing and shoving between the two sides. The fact is, this pre-season affair was anything but friendly, as you can see in this alternative replay shared on YouTube.
What is the market value of Lisandro Martinez?
Signing the defender for a reported £57m last summer, Martinez has been a permanent fixture of Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United side ever since, proving plenty of doubters wrong along the way.
Despite his height, the 25-year-old has comfortably slotted in against some of the Premier League’s best forwards, forming a particularly impressive partnership with Rafael Varane, as the Red Devils conceded the third-fewest goals in England’s top-flight last season.
Despite enjoying an impressive debut campaign, though, Martinez’s value has decreased. According to Transfermarkt, the central defender is currently worth €50m (£43.11m), which is £14m less than United paid for him last summer.
We’re sure that Ten Hag won’t have to worry about the Argentine’s price anytime soon, however, with Martinez set to play a part under the Dutchman for years to come.
Next season will be even more important than the last for the defender, too. Having helped United regain a Champions League place, the Premier League giants must turn their attention to taking things up another level. And that could finally see them challenge for the title once again.
It will be difficult against the likes of treble-winners Manchester City, and an always-improving Arsenal side, but Manchester United may well pull off some shocks in the upcoming campaign to seal their first league title since 2013 under Sir Alex Ferguson.
