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A terrible injury for Lisandro Martinez was, for many Manchester United fans, by far the most alarming incident of their team’s 2-2 capitulation against Sevilla in the Europa League last night.
The Argentine defender had to be carried off the pitch by his international teammates after collapsing with no one around him with 87 minutes on the clock.
Many observers – including Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves on BT Sport – feared the worst, with a ruptured Achilles tendon suspected.
Such an injury would have kept Martinez out for anywhere between six months in the best cased scenario, and around a year, as happened with Leonardo Spinazzola when the Italy international ruptured his tendon against Belgium in July 2021.
Fortunately Erik ten Hag was able to rule out an Achilles injury after the match, although his say the injury “did not look good.”
Images from after the match showed Martinez on crutches leaving the stadium, which again would rule out any kind of ruptured tendon, given that such an injury would have led to an immediate hospital visit.
The heavy-fitted boot worn by the player would also suggest a fracture, with TyC Sports reporter Gaston Edul suggesting the player may have suffered a fifth metatarsal injury.
Martinez went out on crutches #MUFC pic.twitter.com/4jxokthgDQ
— RonnyUTD 🔰⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Ronny__UTD) April 14, 2023
Metatarsal injuries typically keep athletes out for a minimum of six weeks, so should today’s tests prove that theory to be correct, Martinez is sure to miss the rest of the season.
The silver lining is that he should easily make a full recovery before the start of United’s next campaign, something that would have been impossible ha United’s worst fears been realised.
The Red Devils face a difficult end to what has been a gruelling season, and it appears they may have to complete it without a number of key players.
Martinez’s central defensive partner Raphael Varane was also forced off the pitch though injury, while Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw are also injury doubt for Nottingham Forest, at the very least.
Erik ten Hag will have a number of difficult decisions to make in the coming weeks as he looks to finish the season in the strongest possible fashion.
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