Early goal and red card decide the match

Atlético Madrid beat Manchester United 2-0 on Tuesday, 13 October, in the second matchday of the Champions League league phase at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Pablo Barrios put the hosts ahead after 53 seconds, finishing a move that began with a long ball from Kang-In Lee to Alejandro Baena. Johnny Cardoso had a goal ruled out by VAR in the 44th minute for an earlier foul, so the score stayed 1-0 at half-time. Leny Yoro was shown a straight red card in the 74th minute after a VAR check, leaving United with ten men. Ademola Lookman, who had come on as a substitute, sealed the win in the 79th minute with a goal assisted by Jonathan David. The three points are Atlético's first of the campaign.

A tribute to Koke

The match was played without captain Koke Resurrección, whose mother had died, and Atlético dedicated the win to him. Diego Simeone said the club knows how important Koke is and that the squad was standing with him and his family. The coach also praised Pablo Barrios, whose minutes are being managed so he can stay at his best for the whole season. Simeone said Julián Álvarez was close to being the player fans most want to see, and he pointed to Jonathan David and Morten Hjulmand as useful competition for places.

Martínez turns on the board

After the game, Lisandro Martínez criticised the club's hierarchy in an interview with Prime Video, pointing upwards as he spoke. He said:

I expect more from our technical director. I have to be honest.

He also argued that the club keeps changing managers when the problems lie in other areas, and he repeated the point in a CBS interview, saying every season the club says the same thing. Jason Wilcox, the director of football, oversaw a £155m spend in the last window on Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba, while a left-back target was not signed. Figures of £155m and more than 170 million euros have been reported for the summer spend. Martínez is out of contract next summer and is understood to favour a move to an elite club on the continent, so some teammates see his remarks partly through that lens. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the club's co-owner, watched the match from the directors' box.

Carrick and United's start

Michael Carrick took over as caretaker in mid-January, led United to third place last season, and was appointed permanent head coach in May with a contract to 2028. This season United have won two of their nine games and have taken six points from their first six Premier League matches, the club's poorest league start for 40 years. The team has also gone five matches without a win. Carrick said:

The boys are hurting.

Martínez defended his coach, saying Carrick "does his best" with the squad he has been given.

What comes next

United travel to Leeds at Elland Road on Sunday, 18 October. Carrick said the players remain positive about what they can achieve this season. The Leeds trip comes with United on their lowest points tally after six games since 1986.