Peter Schmeichel has explained why his interview with Lisandro Martinez following Manchester United's 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid sparked such a fierce reaction from fans.
The iconic shot-stopper confessed he was caught off guard due to his ignorance of Martinez's severe criticism directed towards the club's hierarchy.
Post-match, Martinez openly slammed United's ambitions and the quality of the team’s squad.
However, during the subsequent conversation with Schmeichel, he attempted to highlight the positives, which provoked discontent among supporters. Many felt that Schmeichel had ignored the serious issues raised by the Argentine.
“I had no idea what he had said”
On the podcast The Overlap, Schmeichel explained that a simple television mix-up led to the unexpected interview.
He was originally scheduled to talk to another player, but after his interview for Amazon Prime, Martinez was unexpectedly sent to CBS Sports.
Schmeichel elaborated:
The interview wrapped up and he was sent my way. So, if you watch the footage, you can see I'm a bit surprised.
At that moment, I had absolutely no idea what he had said before. I was completely in the dark regarding how sharply he had spoken.
I wasn’t aware of the things he was saying, which made my interview a bit awkward in light of everything that was happening.
What angered Lisandro Martinez?
Following the defeat to Atletico, the Argentine defender did not hold back his disappointment regarding the state of affairs at the club.
He was particularly concerned with the squad's lack of depth and the absence of serious ambitions.
Martinez stated:
We have a lot of matches, and we have to rotate the squad. In my view, we don’t have the strongest team.
I’m not going to stay silent. We need more ambition. We should be talking about winning in the Champions League and the Premier League more often.
When Schmeichel tried to defuse the situation by reminding everyone that the season was just beginning, the defender responded even more forcefully.
The former goalkeeper said:
But the good news is that it’s only October. There’s still plenty of time ahead.
To which Martinez shot back:
Yes, but every season we say the same thing. If we don’t speak the truth, nothing will change.
This exchange particularly ignited debate among supporters.
Schmeichel caught off guard
According to the Dane, his reaction stemmed not from a desire to defend Manchester United's hierarchy but from simply not having the information he needed.
He hadn't heard Martinez's previous interview, so he didn't grasp the gravity of the accusations already made.
As a result, Schmeichel found himself discussing the team's prospects while the defender was demanding recognition of the recurring issues that, in his view, persist from season to season.
The former goalkeeper’s explanation sheds light on this awkward moment but doesn't change the fact that after the defeat to Atletico, Martinez publicly questioned Manchester United's ambitions.
Now, not only are all eyes on the Argentine's words, but also on how the club's hierarchy will respond to his criticism.
