Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez, despite being injured, has received a call-up to the Argentina national team for friendly matches in March. Martinez has experienced a series of injuries this season, interrupting his contributions to Manchester United. Following surgery for a significant ankle ιnjury in late September, the 1998-born player returned in January but played only four matches before another ιnjury, this time to his knee during the 3-0 victory over West Ham in early February.

Although the ιnjury was not as severe as initially feared and did not require additional surgery, Martinez still requires a rest period of 6 to 8 weeks. He has not resumed training and is expected to miss Manchester United’s upcoming FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool. 

This will be the team’s final match before the international break this month. In a surprising twist, Argentina has confirmed that head coach Lionel Scaloni has included Martinez in the squad for preparation matches against El Salvador and Costa Rica, scheduled to be held in the United States on March 23 and 27, respectively. Some find it perplexing that Lisandro Martinez has not returned to training but has been called up to the national team, while others believe this decision indicates that the former Ajax star is on the brink of making a comeback.

Ten Hag has faced challenges in selecting the best defensive options since the beginning of the season due to Manchester United’s defenders’ ιnjury-plagued state. Both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, who typically play at left back, are dealing with issues, and it is likely that Victor Lindelof will continue in the left-back position for the match against Liverpool.