Manchester United’s bid for next season’s Champions League took a hit as defender Lisandro Martinez faces a minimum of eight weeks sidelined with knee ligament damage.
The Argentine World Cup winner had just made his comeback from a foot injury that had sidelined him for the majority of the season. However, Martinez’s impact had been evident in Manchester United’s recent resurgence in form.
The 26-year-old was substituted during Sunday’s 3-0 victory against West Ham after his right knee gave way under the pressure of Vladimir Coufal as they contested for the ball.
“Lisandro Martinez has sustained an injury to the medial collateral ligament in his knee and is expected to be out of action for at least eight weeks,” United said in a statement. “We all wish Licha a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back on the pitch later in the season.”
Martinez is now expected to be sidelined for the majority of the remaining campaign, but there’s a possibility he could make a comeback for the final seven Premier League matches and the latter phases of the FA Cup.
“He is very sad, very disappointed,” said United boss Erik Ten Hag after the West Ham game. “We feel really with him. First of all, it’s a personal disaster when it’s really bad, but let’s wait for what it is. But also for the team, it’s really bad because he brings us a lot.”
Manchester United currently sit sixth in the Premier League standings, trailing Tottenham by six points and Aston Villa by eight. Their upcoming clash against Aston Villa on Sunday holds significant importance.
Securing a top-four finish guarantees Champions League football for the next season. Alternatively, finishing fifth might also suffice, depending on the performance of English teams in European competitions this season.
