Lisandro Martinez has returned to Manchester United’s first-team training after an eight-month absence due to a serious ACL injury. The 27-year-old defender took part in a training session at Carrington on Wednesday, marking his first appearance since getting injured in February during a game against Crystal Palace. This comeback is viewed as a significant development for United’s defensive choices as the season moves forward. The club’s medical team has closely supervised Martinez’s recovery progress, and his participation in training indicates a step towards a potential comeback to competitive play.
The injury occurred late in United’s 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford, leading to Martinez being carried off on a stretcher and later undergoing surgery. Manager Ruben Amorim has refrained from setting a specific return date for Martinez to the matchday squads, stressing the importance of the player’s long-term fitness over immediate availability.
Martinez, under contract with Manchester United until 2027, began outdoor training in late July and was observed doing individual drills at Carrington earlier this month. His rehabilitation has been gradual, focusing on strengthening the injured knee and regaining match fitness before rejoining full training sessions with his teammates. Manager Ruben Amorim commented on Martinez’s condition, mentioning, “He’s feeling well. The knee is responding really well, so I don’t want to specify a particular day or week. I don’t know, but he’s close to starting team training. His return will depend on his performance and adaptation to the team’s pace.”
Although Martinez’s progress is positive, he is unlikely to be part of the squad for Saturday’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest. There is a chance he could make a return to the matchday squad for the game against Tottenham in North London the following weekend, depending on his fitness and training displays.
Since his arrival at Manchester United in July 2022, Martinez has encountered multiple injury setbacks, missing more games due to injury than actually playing for the club. He has been absent for a total of 92 matches while making 91 appearances. Previous injuries include a fractured metatarsal requiring corrective surgery, followed by another knee injury earlier this year.
During Martinez’s absence, United has made adjustments to their defensive setup, with Luke Shaw featuring in recent Premier League matches as part of Amorim’s back three. Harry Maguire missed the last game due to an injury but had earlier contributed a crucial goal against Liverpool.