Former Manchester United stars Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes have intensified their feud with current defender Lisandro Martínez, following the Argentine’s response to their recent comments. The exchange has highlighted ongoing tensions between the club’s historic “Old School” players and the newer generation, with Martínez at the center of the dispute.
In a podcast episode of The Good, The Bad & The Football, Butt and Scholes criticized Martínez after he faced off against Manchester City striker Erling Haaland in a recent derby. They suggested that Haaland would dominate Martínez, likening the situation to a “little toddler” being tossed around. After a strong performance against City, Martínez challenged the former players to confront him directly, stating they should “come to his house” if they had concerns.
Butt responded to Martínez’s challenge during the podcast, emphasizing that their remarks were meant to be light-hearted rather than confrontational. “For me, we talk like lads in a pub having a conversation,” Butt explained. “It’s tongue in cheek. If you’re going to get so emotional about someone saying something about you and react like that, you shouldn’t be at a big football club.”
He further added, “I got so much criticism when I played at Manchester United and Newcastle, but then the next week you get applauded.” Butt, now 50 years of age, dismissed the notion of confronting someone at their home, calling it “ridiculous.”
Scholes, while acknowledging that their comments could have been phrased better, supported Butt’s assertion that criticism is an inherent part of playing for a club with United’s stature. He revealed a personal encounter with Martínez, stating, “We exchanged messages on Instagram quite some time ago. He wasn’t happy with something I said in the past.”
Despite the tension, Scholes pointed out that players at Manchester United must learn to handle scrutiny. “At some point, as we did as players, you are gonna take some criticism. You’ve got to deal with that,” he remarked.
The ongoing feud not only reflects individual personalities but also represents a broader generational divide within the club. As United continues to navigate its path in top-tier football, the ability of players like Martínez to handle criticism will be pivotal to their success and integration into the club’s rich history.
