Inter Milan’s second-choice goalkeeper Josep Martinez was involved in a fatal traffic accident on Tuesday morning that claimed the life of an 81-year-old man traveling in an electric wheelchair near the club’s training complex in Fenegro, Como province.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:40 a.m. local time on Via Bergamo as the 27-year-old Spaniard was driving to Inter’s Appiano Gentile training center for the day’s session. According to initial police investigations, the elderly man may have suffered a medical emergency moments before the collision, causing him to veer into the path of oncoming traffic.
Martinez immediately stopped his vehicle and attempted to provide first aid to the victim while emergency services, including an ambulance and air ambulance, were dispatched to the scene. Despite the swift response from medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The goalkeeper, who was physically unharmed in the collision, is reported to be deeply shaken by the tragedy and is cooperating fully with Italian authorities as they conduct their investigation. The Carabinieri, Italy’s national military police force responsible for investigating such incidents, continue examining the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Inter Milan responded to the tragedy by canceling head coach Cristian Chivu’s scheduled press conference, which had been planned for Tuesday afternoon ahead of the club’s Serie A fixture against Fiorentina on Wednesday. While the club has yet to release a comprehensive official statement, sources within the organization told media outlets that management has extended deep condolences to the victim’s family and is providing Martinez with emotional and legal support.
The accident has sent shockwaves through both the local community and Italian football. Residents of Fenegro expressed sorrow over the loss, with some noting the victim was well known in the area and often seen navigating the streets in his electric wheelchair. Tributes have reportedly begun appearing near the collision site.
Martinez joined Inter Milan in the summer of 2024 from Genoa for a reported fee of €14 million. He serves as understudy to Swiss international Yann Sommer, the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. The Spanish keeper made his competitive debut for Inter in December 2024, keeping a clean sheet in a 2-0 Italian Cup victory over Udinese.
Before his move to Milan, Martinez played for Las Palmas, RB Leipzig and Genoa, building a reputation as a reliable backup goalkeeper known for his professionalism and relatively low public profile. He was on the bench for Inter’s 3-1 loss to Napoli on Saturday and would have been expected to serve in a similar capacity for Wednesday’s match against Fiorentina.
The tragic incident raises questions about how football clubs support players who experience traumatic events unrelated to their sporting duties. While professional athletes receive extensive physical care and tactical coaching, the psychological support systems for dealing with real-world tragedies vary considerably across clubs and leagues.
Sports psychologists who work with professional athletes note that trauma from off-field incidents can profoundly impact a player’s mental health and performance. The shock of being involved in an accident that resulted in someone’s death, even when circumstances suggest the player bears no fault, can trigger symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress including intrusive thoughts, anxiety and difficulty concentrating.
Whether Martinez will be available for selection in Inter’s upcoming fixtures remains unclear. Beyond any potential legal considerations as the investigation continues, the emotional toll of such an experience typically requires time for processing and professional psychological support before returning to normal activities.
The timing proves particularly challenging for Inter Milan, who currently sit three points behind league leaders and defending champions Napoli in the Serie A standings. The club faces increased pressure to maintain their title challenge while simultaneously supporting a player dealing with an unimaginable personal crisis.
Road safety advocates in Italy have pointed to the incident as highlighting ongoing concerns about vulnerable road users, particularly elderly individuals using mobility devices in areas with vehicle traffic. While preliminary investigations suggest the victim may have experienced a medical emergency, the tragedy underscores the risks faced by wheelchair users navigating roads shared with automobiles.
Some local residents have called for improved pedestrian and mobility device infrastructure in Fenegro, noting that better dedicated pathways might prevent similar incidents in the future. The provincial road where the accident occurred sees regular traffic from Inter Milan personnel traveling between Como and the Appiano Gentile training complex.
For Martinez, the immediate future involves cooperating with ongoing police investigations while coming to terms with his role in a tragedy that appears, based on early reports, to have resulted from circumstances beyond his control. The legal process in Italy for such incidents typically involves thorough reconstruction of events to determine whether any traffic violations or negligence occurred.
Italian traffic law distinguishes between accidents caused by driver error or negligence and those resulting from unforeseeable circumstances. If investigations confirm the victim suffered a medical emergency that caused him to enter the roadway unexpectedly, authorities may determine Martinez bears no legal culpability, though such conclusions typically take time to reach as investigators examine all available evidence.
The psychological impact, however, doesn’t depend on legal determinations of fault. Being involved in an accident that claims someone’s life creates emotional trauma that persists regardless of whether one could have prevented the outcome. Mental health professionals emphasize that feelings of guilt, even when logically unjustified, commonly affect individuals in such situations.
Inter Milan’s response to the crisis will likely include providing Martinez access to sports psychologists and trauma counselors who specialize in helping athletes process difficult experiences. The club’s medical and support staff face the challenge of helping him work through the emotional aftermath while respecting his privacy during an intensely difficult period.
The broader football community has begun expressing sympathy for all involved in the tragedy. While public statements remain limited as investigations continue, private messages of support have reportedly reached both Martinez and Inter Milan from across Italian football and beyond.
Wednesday’s match against Fiorentina at the San Siro will proceed as scheduled, though the atmosphere will inevitably be affected by Tuesday’s events. Whether Inter Milan acknowledges the tragedy through a moment of silence or other gesture remains to be seen, with club officials likely consulting with the victim’s family before making such decisions.
The incident serves as a sobering reminder that professional athletes, despite their public profiles and extraordinary physical abilities on the pitch, face the same unpredictable circumstances as everyone else in their daily lives. A routine drive to training became a life-altering tragedy in moments, fundamentally changing Martinez’s existence and ending the life of an elderly member of the local community.
As investigations continue and more details emerge, the focus remains on supporting the victim’s grieving family while also providing appropriate care for a young athlete thrust into circumstances no one could have anticipated or prepared for when he began his journey to work Tuesday morning.
The coming days and weeks will reveal how both Martinez and Inter Milan navigate this unprecedented challenge, balancing the demands of professional football with the human need to process tragedy and find a path forward after an accident that has left everyone involved searching for understanding in an incomprehensible situation.
