Lisandro Martinez Hits Back at Paul Scholes’ Criticism

Lisandro Martínez has fired back at Manchester United legend Paul Scholes after the former midfielder dismissed his ability to win a Premier League title. Despite being sidelined for the remainder of the season with a knee injury sustained in a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, the Argentine defender wasn’t spared from Scholes’ sharp criticism.

On the Overlap podcast, Scholes didn’t hold back, bluntly stating: “Even when he’s fit, he’s not good enough to win the Premier League.” Many saw this as an unnecessary dig at a player already battling to recover from injury. However, Martínez wasn’t about to let it slide.

The 27-year-old, one of the few bright spots under Ruben Amorim, chose to defend himself in style. Taking to Instagram, he wrote: “This jinx guy is really hurting… You put him in Argentina, and he wouldn’t survive.” A fiery response that quickly caught the attention of fans worldwide.

This isn’t the first time Scholes has questioned Martínez’s place at United. Just last month, he suggested that Martínez should be sold as part of a major squad rebuild, grouping him with players like Mason Mount and Luke Shaw. Initially, the Argentine ignored the remarks, but Scholes’ second jab clearly struck a nerve.

And Martínez wasn’t the only target of Scholes’ criticism. The outspoken pundit also took aim at fellow defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro—United’s record-breaking teenage signing. Speaking about De Ligt, Scholes remarked: “He was brilliant at Ajax, but he’s getting worse as he gets older. Bayern Munich and Juventus let him go for a reason.”

On Yoro, he added: “He’s a young player, but I haven’t liked what I’ve seen so far. Did you watch the Southampton game? He’s one of the only centre-backs I’d keep, but is ‘quite good’ really good enough?”

Scholes’ brutal assessment has sparked intense debate among fans. While some believe his criticism is justified, others argue that he’s being overly harsh on players still adjusting to a new system. As for Martínez, his response proves he’s not just a fighter on the pitch—but off it too.