Inter Milan’s Keeper in a Tragic Morning: A Fatal Crash Near the Training Ground

Incident near Inter Milan’s training ground

Inter Milan goalkeeper Jose Martinez was involved in a tragic incident that claimed the life of an 81-year-old man who was crossing the street in a powered wheelchair near the club’s training complex in Abiano Gentile.

The Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the accident occurred as the man was near the club’s grounds in the Venegono area, on Via Bergamo, around 9:40 am local time.

Despite the rapid arrival of ambulances and an air medical unit, the man died at the scene. Police are conducting a full investigation to reconstruct the events and determine the exact causes of the crash.

Initial theories suggest the elderly pedestrian might have suffered a sudden health issue that caused him to veer into the path of Martinez’s vehicle. The goalkeeper stopped immediately and administered first aid in an effort to save him.

In the wake of the incident, Inter Milan canceled a press conference scheduled for coach Cristian Kiavo at 2 pm CET, as a sign of mourning. Martinez himself was unharmed but in a state of shock following the incident.

Inter is due to face Fiorentina at the San Siro on Wednesday, with Martinez serving as the team’s second-choice goalkeeper; he had been on the bench in the 1-3 loss to Napoli on Saturday.

Martinez joined Inter in 2024 from Genoa, having previously played for Las Palmas and coming through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy. His professional journey also included a stint with RB Leipzig in 2020 before a move to Genoa two years later, ultimately leading him to Inter.

Inter’s stance on refereeing

In a separate thread, Inter’s chief, Beppe Marotta, argued that Napoli’s league win came after a controversial and arguably erroneous penalty call for the home side. Napoli defeated Inter 3-1 at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in the eighth round of Serie A.

Napoli’s three goals came in the 33rd, 54th, and 66th minutes, while Inter’s sole reply came from a 59th-minute penalty converted by Hakan Calhanoglu. Marotta criticized the decision, saying it altered the match’s dynamics and that the on-field referee appeared to look away at the critical moment before blowing the whistle after eight seconds.

Marotta also remarked on the potential for video review to illuminate the decision and insisted that the outcome could have been different with proper use of technology. He hinted that the mood in the locker room at halftime shifted substantially due to the penalty call.

The episode fueled a post-match clash in the media and on the squad’s morale, including a reported heated exchange between Antonio Conte, then Napoli’s coach, and Lautaro Martinez, a former Inter player who spent time under Conte’s leadership. Conte and Martinez have a shared history, having worked together during Conte’s spell at Inter, and their altercation drew attention from fans and pundits alike.

Conte’s era is notable for several landmark achievements, including a 100-point season across 46 league games with Napoli, a milestone he previously reached after 47 matches with Inter and earlier after 44 with Juventus. Napoli’s overall form allowed them to reclaim the Serie A summit with 18 points, while Inter sat on 15, third place, as Milan drew with Pisa in the same weekend’s schedule.

The broader league narrative continues to evolve as the season progresses, with the focus split between on-pitch battles and the personal stories unfolding behind them. Martinez’s conduct following the incident—calmly stopping, assisting the man, and remaining physically unharmed—adds a human layer to a day otherwise dominated by headlines and hypotheticals. The squad will now navigate the emotional and logistical aftermath as they prepare for their upcoming fixtures, including the Fiorentina tie at a home stadium that remains a fortress for Milanese football fans.

Two light reminders to close the chapter: 1) When life serves you a morning like this, even a goalkeeper needs a good alarm clock—preferably one that doesn’t beep during a crucial calm-down. 2) If football had a whistle for every dramatic moment, we’d all be referees—except we’d actually understand the calls.