The simmering tension between Manchester United icon Paul Scholes and defender Lisandro Martinez shows no sign of abating, with Scholes refusing to back down from his initial criticism of the Argentine. The feud, which began with Scholes questioning Martinez's ability to handle Manchester City's Erling Haaland due to his size, has escalated into a public back-and-forth, fueled by strong opinions and a Manchester derby victory.
Prior to the Manchester United vs. Manchester City derby, Paul Scholes appeared on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, where he expressed concerns about Martinez's capabilities against Haaland. Scholes suggested that Haaland would "outplay" Martinez, even going as far as to say Haaland would "score then throw him in the net". Nicky Butt, also on the podcast, chimed in, saying, "Haaland would pick Martínez up and run with him, you know, when you see a dad at school running down the road with a little toddler".
Martinez, known for his aggressive style of play, responded forcefully after helping United secure a 2-0 victory over their rivals, keeping Haaland at bay. "Honestly, he can say whatever he wants," Martinez stated, "I told him already, if he wants to say something to me, he can come to wherever he wants. To my house, wherever. I don't care". He further added, "And I think for me, I respect the relations [former players] when they want to help the club because everyone can talk on the television, but when you see here face to face, no one says anything in your face. So for me, I don't really care what they say".
Scholes, known for his uncompromising personality, retorted to Martinez's invitation via an Instagram story, sharing a Sky Sports post and commenting, "Someone's had a good game, was really happy for you… Tea, no sugar pls @lisandromartinezzz,". This response indicated that a single good performance wouldn't change Scholes' overall assessment.
The exchange has sparked debate among fans and pundits, with some criticizing Scholes for his harsh comments and others supporting his right to express his opinion. Nicky Butt also weighed in, telling Martinez to "grow the f up". "If he reacts emotionally to comments like this, he's not ready to play for a big club. He needs to f*** mature," Butt added.
In a recent appearance on the Overlap fan debate with Jamie Carragher, Scholes addressed the controversy, admitting that he and Butt "should have worded their criticism about Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez better". However, he stopped short of offering an apology. When asked if he profited from his comments on The Good, the Bad and the Football podcast, Scholes responded, "No comment. I didn't realize how many Argentinean friends I had until this week. * hell, I've had some **** off them, Jesus. But hey, look, that was my opinion". He further conceded, "What we said probably wasn't great when you look back".
Despite admitting that his comments could have been phrased better, Scholes' refusal to apologize suggests that he stands by his initial assessment of Martinez, fueling the ongoing row between the Man United legend and the Argentinian international. Martinez has made 68 appearances for Manchester United, scoring 3 goals. He also won the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2024 Copa América with Argentina.
