Inter Milan goalkeeper causes accident that kills one person

Italian football was shaken by the news that Inter Milan’s reserve goalkeeper, Josep Martínez, was involved in a serious traffic accident that killed an 81-year-old man on the morning of October 28 (local time).

According to sources from LaPresse and Corriere della Sera, the incident happened at around 10 a.m. in Fenegro, a suburb of Milan, near Inter’s training center in Appiano Gentile. While on the way to training, Martínez’s car collided with an elderly man using an electric wheelchair.

Emergency services – including an ambulance and a medical helicopter – arrived shortly after, but the victim died despite emergency treatment at the scene. Police determined that the man may have suffered a medical problem or stroke, causing the wheelchair to lose control and veer into Martínez’s vehicle.

Immediately after the incident, Martínez stopped the car, assisted rescuers and fully cooperated with the authorities. He was taken to the local police station to give a statement and undergo alcohol and drug tests – mandatory procedures in fatal accidents. Initial results showed no signs of traffic violations by the Spanish goalkeeper.

Italian police are still analyzing security camera data around the area to verify the entire incident. According to Italian law, all traffic accidents that cause human damage must be opened as a criminal investigation under the framework of “omicidio stradale” (murder by traffic accident), even if the subjective fault has not been determined. However, initial evidence shows that this was an unexpected incident, not due to the careless behavior of the driver.

Inter Milan later confirmed the information and expressed deep condolences for the victim’s passing. The team said that Martínez is currently in a state of mental shock and will receive psychological support in the coming time. Inter’s coaching staff decided to cancel coach Cristian Chivu’s press conference before the match against Fiorentina, saying that this was not the right time to organize media activities.

Josep Martínez, 26, joined Inter Milan in the summer of 2024 from Genoa as a backup for Yann Sommer. He grew up at Barcelona’s La Masia academy, played for Las Palmas, RB Leipzig, Genoa, and played once for the Spanish national team in 2021.

This heartbreaking incident is shocking the Italian football world, while Inter and Martínez personally continue to coordinate with the authorities to clarify the entire cause of the accident.