Lisandro Martinez had every reason to smile after Manchester United launched their Champions League campaign with a ruthless 4-0 victory over Sabah.
It was a night packed with milestones for the Argentine defender, who delivered at both ends of the pitch as United produced an emphatic opening statement in Europe.
The biggest personal highlight came in the second half.
Martinez scored United’s only goal after the break, finally finding the net at Old Trafford for the first time. His previous three goals for the club had all arrived away from home, against Arsenal, Liverpool and Fulham.
This one was different.
With the iconic Champions League anthem ringing around Old Trafford and the pressure of a major European night building, Martinez admitted the emotion was almost impossible to contain.
“Sometimes, you can’t control it,” he said, when asked about playing in the Champions League, and running out at Old Trafford against the backdrop of its iconic anthem.
“But you just have to be fluid in the game, you have to try to be calm – but sometimes, you can’t!
“You have to go to every ball like the last one and I think that’s what we did today, I think in every ball, in every duel, we were so dominant.
“It’s difficult to control it, but we did it, so that’s the most important thing.”
United’s performance gave Martinez even more reason to savour the occasion.
The 4-0 scoreline secured their first clean sheet of the season and offered the perfect start to their Champions League campaign. For a defender known for his intensity and aggression, contributing at both ends made the occasion even more memorable.
But scoring inside the Theatre of Dreams carried a different kind of weight.
Martinez could barely contain his happiness when reflecting on his first Old Trafford goal, especially with his girlfriend watching from the stands.
He added: “It’s an amazing feeling, an amazing feeling, scoring in this amazing and beautiful stadium with those people and also my girlfriend being there upstairs, I can’t ask for more, you know?
“Tonight, honestly, I’m one of the happiest people in the world.”
The celebrations, however, will not last long. United now have a huge Manchester derby waiting for them, with Martinez already turning his attention towards the clash with Manchester City.
The Argentine knows the Champions League victory will mean little if United fail to carry the same intensity into their next major test.
“We have to enjoy and, tomorrow, we have to think about the derby.
“[It will be] an amazing and beautiful game [against Manchester City]. We want to enjoy [it], we want to play with a big mentality and focus and we want to try to get the three points.”
For Martinez, the timing could hardly be better. His first Old Trafford goal, United’s first clean sheet of the campaign and a commanding Champions League victory have given him plenty to celebrate.
Now comes the derby. And after such an emotional night under the Old Trafford lights, Martinez will be hoping United can produce another performance worth remembering.
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