Rival View: Lisandro Martínez’s Ball Work Resumes, But Don’t Expect Him Back in October

Lisandro Martínez is back on the grass and working with the ball after a clean MRI, with optimistic whispers suggesting a late-October return. That’s the headline United fans are clinging to. From a rival’s lens, though, this feels like the familiar Old Trafford hype cycle: brief training clips, glowing updates, and a comeback date that keeps sliding right. He’s not yet in full football activity, which is the decisive hurdle. Until he survives repeated high-intensity, contact sessions and reaction drills, talk of a swift return is premature. Bookmark this: late October sounds brave; reality usually lands later.

A club-adjacent update indicates Martínez has stepped up rehab to on-field, ball-based work following a recent MRI that reportedly showed no issues. While optimism internally points to a possible late-October comeback, he has not progressed to full-contact football training. Fan chatter immediately pivoted to potential availability for high-profile fixtures, with external skepticism noting his recent injury history and the risks of accelerating timelines amid a congested schedule.

🚨 BREAKING: Lisandro Martínez is training on the field, not doing full football work yet but already training with the ball. He had an MRI last week and everything came out perfect. His recovery is on the right track, and he could return by the end of October! #MUFC

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

From a rival standpoint, this development changes little in the short term for Manchester United’s defensive stability. Ball work is a necessary step but still a world away from 90-minute match readiness against elite opposition. United’s build-up structure relies heavily on a left-footed centre-back who can break lines under pressure, and Martínez’s absence has forced awkward adjustments, often exposing their right-sided centre-back and full-back in transition. Even if he beats the clock, first games back typically feature hesitation in duels, conservative passing angles, and a drop in aerial timing—areas opponents will target.

The psychological boost United fans are celebrating is real, but so is the physiological risk of re-loading too quickly. Without multiple full-intensity, contact sessions—and ideally a controlled minutes ramp across at least two fixtures—re-injury probabilities spike. Rivals will look to pin United into their half, force Martínez to defend wide in space, and test his change-of-direction under stress. Net-net: this update marginally improves United’s outlook for November onward, but it does not meaningfully alter their immediate trajectory. The opposition scouting report won’t change until he logs clean, competitive minutes.

Reaction

Social timelines split in predictable ways. The optimists greeted the footage with a flood of heart emojis and “Welcome back Lucha” posts, leaning into the “MRI perfect” line as proof the worst is over. Pragmatists asked the obvious: “Can he play against Liverpool?”—a question that reveals more hope than likelihood given he’s not in full football work. The cynics, many battle-scarred by previous setbacks, replied with gallows humor: “He’ll vanish by December again,” framing this as another short-lived uptick in a long rehab saga.

There’s also the noise of transfer gossip cross-pollinating the thread—wild claims about other United stars—illustrating how volatile the discourse becomes around any sliver of good news at Old Trafford. A minority of neutrals asked for patience and a minutes plan, but rival fans largely mocked the timing: ball work clips aren’t match fitness, and opposition supporters smell a chance to weaponize any early reintroduction. Overall sentiment: United’s fan base is buoyed; everyone else is circling a potential relapse narrative.

Social reactions

Another Luke Shaw regen will come in October and go out in November

JV (@FoolishNdHungry)

He still plays footie ??

Maya Banks (@Darealmayabanks)

Just get a replacement at this point or play heaven

🏁🏁 (@co_devante)

Prediction

Strip away the hype and the picture clarifies: without full-contact sessions banked, late October is a stretch. Expect a staggered return: first, controlled training games; then a bench appearance for 10–15 minutes; then a careful minutes ramp across two fixtures. Realistically, early-to-mid November is the safer window for meaningful involvement. If United push for a marquee fixture, rivals will press relentlessly on his side, forcing rapid pivots and recovery sprints—precisely the stress patterns that can trigger a setback.

Two scenarios emerge. Best case: he clears contact training in the next 10–14 days, makes a cameo before month’s end, and reaches 60–70 minutes by mid-November, restoring United’s left-sided build-up and aggression. Worst case (more plausible from a rival vantage): minor reaction in the final training phase pushes his return into late November, reducing his availability for the heaviest fixtures. Either way, rivals should plan for targeted pressing traps and diagonal switches to isolate him until he proves rhythm and robustness over consecutive starts.

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Conclusion

Good MRI, ball work on the grass, upbeat murmurs—on paper, it’s encouraging. But rivals have seen this movie: a promising clip, an ambitious date, and the inevitable reminder that match sharpness isn’t won in rehab rooms. Until Martínez survives a week of full-contact training and stacks reliable minutes, this is optimism on credit. United’s structure needs his left foot and bite, but they’ll gain nothing by sprinting through the final phase and risking a relapse that would wipe out the winter calendar.

So park the parade. Celebrate the step, not the return. Expect a cautious ramp that makes late October unlikely and marks November as the proving ground. If he clears it cleanly, United stabilise. If not, rivals will again expose the soft underbelly that appears whenever their back line is reshuffled. From here, patience isn’t prudence for United—it’s survival.