Lisandro Martinez stresses the important of therapy and psychologist

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Lisandro Martinez joined Manchester United in last summer’s transfer window and immediately became a huge fan-favourite.

His all-action defending style and chest-bumping style of conducting himself on the field endeared him to the fans as he quickly became one with the fans.

Surpassing expectations and proving the doubters wrong in his maiden Premier League season, he has now revealed the secret of his success and mental fortitude.

In an interview with Argentina’s Televison Publica (quotes via El Once), he said that he works with a psychologist which is how “I try to disconnect everything”.

He called having a psychologist and getting therapy “essential” as “what you show on the pitch, is what, more or less, you are in your personal life”.

The importance and recognition of mental therapy have steadily been increasing among elite-level footballers as the demand for the sport keeps reaching new heights.

Martinez is often regarded as one of the “hardmen” of football, with his “Butcher” nickname and fearless style of play.

To hear someone like that talk about having a psychologist openly will be a breath of fresh air and arguably help other players become open to doing the same.

The Argentine defender suffered a metatarsal injury near the end of the last season which forced him to miss crucial games at the time.

However, he has made a triumphant return from the injury this pre-season, putting in commanding performances for the club as he has come back into the team like he never left.

His partnership with Raphael Varane last season was the base on which everything good about the club was built last year and as soon as he left, manager Erik ten Hag was left with a dilemma in the middle of the defence.

Now he will hope to kick on and play an important role when competitive action begins on the back of a good transfer window for the club so far.