Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martinez was involved in a tragic car accident on Tuesday when he hit an elderly man on his way to training.
Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martínez has been placed on leave by the club and provided with psychological support after his car hit and killed an elderly man. The tragic road accident happened on Tuesday morning.
Martinez, 25, was driving to Inter’s training facility in Fenegro when an 81-year-old man in a motorized wheelchair rammed into the goalkeeper’s car. After the crash, Martinez got out of his car and tried to help the man, identified as Paolo Cybene.
“A car driven by Inter goalkeeper Josep Martínez hit a man in an electric wheelchair who was traveling on a bicycle path along a road in the province of Como,” Italian police told Reuters. “Mr. Martinez stopped his car to help the man, but he died before the ambulance arrived.”
Initial investigations by the Carabinieri, one of Italy’s police forces, suggest that the man may have suffered a sudden medical attack shortly before the impact. Emergency services, including an ambulance, were called to the scene, but Mr Cybene was sadly pronounced dead at hospital.
Inter have canceled coach Cristian Chivu’s press conference ahead of their home game against Fiorentina on Wednesday. Martinez was scheduled to be on the bench, but will not play in the Serie A game.
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According to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Spaniard was given a week off to recover from the incident. Martinez’s teammates and staff were in constant contact with him, and the 25-year-old underwent regular drug and alcohol tests at Saronno Hospital.
“Unfortunately, something serious and sensitive has happened,” Inter president Beppe Marotta said on Tuesday. “Our hearts go out to the families of those who lost their lives, and our thoughts also go out to the players we knew well.
“Unfortunately, these situations and misfortunes are part of everyday life, but I hope that we too can benefit from this tragic situation.”
Martínez spent his youth at Barcelona, joining Las Palmas in 2019 and making his professional debut. Two years later, he signed with RB Leipzig and was acquired by Genoa in 2022.
After a few seasons in the Italian side, Inter signed him for €15m (£13.2m). Martinez has so far made 12 appearances for the Nerazzurri.
Two of them came this season as well. Chivu briefly released first-choice goalkeeper Jan Sommer last month and handed the gloves to Martinez in wins over Sassuolo and Cagliari.
He made his debut for the Spanish national team in a friendly match against Lithuania in June 2021.
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