Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez was reportedly forced to take matters into his own hands after Argentina’s heated clash with England at the World Cup.
Controversy
While Argentina ultimately fell short to Spain in the World Cup final, the debate surrounding the team remains as loud as ever, well over a week since the tournament concluded.
Martinez and his compatriots have come under scrutiny for their antics and use of ‘dark arts’ tactics that carried them through the competition but ultimately proved insufficient against Spain.
One of the most fiery encounters occurred in the semis when England and Argentina met. England took the lead through Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute, only to bizarrely sit back and invite Lionel Messi and his teammates to try and break them down.
Given the freedom to dictate play, Messi turned the game on its head, providing two assists in the 85th and 90+2 minutes to complete a remarkable Argentina revival.
But the game grabbed even more headlines for what happened after the final whistle. A number of Argentina players, Martinez included, held up a banner that read ‘The Falklands are Argentina’s.’
The act was met with predictable disapproval from the English media and supporters, who made their feelings clear.
Now, Samuel Luckhurst of The Sun has revealed that Martinez and Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister made arrangements for enhanced security at their private homes.
Drastic action
Luckhurst reports, “Lisandro Martinez and Alexis Mac Allister had security on patrol at their houses after Argentina’s World Cup win against England.”
“Security personnel were present for two days with emotions high after England‘s 2-1 semi-final loss.”
“No attempts to vandalise Martinez’s or Mac Allister’s properties were made and United were not involved in arranging the security detail for Martinez’s residence.”
Martinez has become something of a cult figure at United since his 2022 move from Ajax, and that reputation is unlikely to be diminished by recent events. He is currently on holiday ahead of his return to United for pre-season training.
Featured image by Michael Steele/Getty Images
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