Inter Milan’s Josep Martinez Involved in Tragic Collision, Resulting in Death of 81-Year-Old Man

Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martinez was involved in a tragic incident on Tuesday morning, where he struck and fatally injured an 81-year-old man while driving to the team’s training facility in Appiano Gentile. The accident occurred around 9:40 AM on Via Bergamo in Fenegro, located in the province of Como. Reports indicate that the elderly man, who was using an electric wheelchair, experienced a medical emergency just prior to the collision, which prevented him from avoiding the oncoming vehicle.

According to the Italian police, Martinez’s car hit the man while he was traveling on a cycle path adjacent to the road. After the collision, Martinez immediately stopped his vehicle to assist the victim, who unfortunately succumbed to his injuries before emergency services could arrive. Despite the swift response from both an ambulance and an air ambulance, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Martinez, who was unharmed in the accident, is reported to be deeply affected by the event. In light of the incident, Inter Milan has canceled a scheduled press conference with manager Cristian Chivu that was set for 1 PM on the same day.

As for the team’s upcoming schedule, Inter Milan is set to face Fiorentina at the San Siro on Wednesday evening. Currently, Martinez serves as the second-choice goalkeeper, following Yann Sommer, and was on the bench during the recent 3-1 defeat against league leaders Napoli. This season, he has made two appearances in Serie A, both of which occurred last month against Sassuolo and Cagliari. Meanwhile, Sommer’s other backup, Raffaele Di Gennaro, is sidelined for a month due to a scaphoid fracture.

Martinez joined Inter Milan from Genoa in the summer of 2024, after a successful season where he made 36 appearances for Il Grifone. His career began at Barcelona’s La Masia academy, followed by stints at Las Palmas and RB Leipzig before his transfer to Genoa.

Looking ahead, after the match against Fiorentina, Inter will travel to face Hellas Verona on Sunday and will host Kairat Almaty in the Champions League the following Wednesday. Their final match before the November international break will be against Lazio.