Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martinez has been involved in a fatal traffic accident. According to Italian reports, Martinez, 27, was on his way to training around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday when he collided with a man in a wheelchair. The victim, an 81-year-old man, is believed to have suffered a medical attack shortly before the collision, leaving him in the path of oncoming traffic.
Despite the immediate response of emergency services, the elderly gentleman could not be saved. Martinez, who replaced Jan Sommer as Inter’s reserve goalkeeper, was visibly distressed by the tragic accident, but is physically unharmed and is cooperating fully with local authorities regarding the circumstances of the accident.
Martinez is said to have stopped immediately and administered first aid, but the elderly man was pronounced dead at the scene, although an ambulance and air ambulance quickly arrived.
Italian police are investigating the incident.
The devastating accident sent shockwaves through the club and led to head coach Cristian Chivu’s scheduled midday press conference being cancelled.
Martinez joined Inter last year from fellow Serie A side Genoa. The former Spain international has made 12 appearances for the Nerazzurri this season, including two league games.
According to The Sun, the incident occurred at around 9:40 a.m. local time in the village of Fenegro, in the province of Como, near Inter’s training complex in Appiano Gentile.
Martinez was expected to start on the bench for Inter vs. Fiorentina on Wednesday night.
Sommer’s other backup goalkeeper at Inter, Raffaele Di Gennaro, has been sidelined for several months now after undergoing surgery on a fractured navicular bone in his right wrist in early October.
Martinez joined Inter from Genoa after making his first break with Spanish team Las Palmas, where he found success after learning his trade at Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy.
He moved from Las Palmas to RB Leipzig in 2020 and signed with Genoa two years later.
