Martinez: I asked for help after the accident, now I want to be a starter

Josep Martinez is ready to take over the Inter goal after Sommer‘s departure. Coming off a season of ups and downs, also due to the tragic car accident he was involved in, the Nerazzurri goalkeeper is now a candidate for the starting role and reiterated this in a long interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

After accepting two years as a backup goalkeeper, Martinez explained how he handled being left out: “When you don’t play, your mindset is very important. I always focused only on preparing myself properly, waiting for the right moment. That’s football: now this opportunity comes my way and I want to make the most of it.”

The Spaniard then spoke about the accident that shocked him and prevented him from performing at his best: “With the help of my teammates, family, and friends. A professional also supported me. But there are no particular secrets: when a tragedy like that happens, you feel bad and that’s how it should be. It was a difficult moment. Then, over time, I managed to move forward.” Despite everything, he never thought about leaving: “I thought I deserved to play too, because I felt ready. But that’s not just for the backup goalkeeper, it applies to everyone in the squad.”

On the arrival of Provedel, he said: “He’s a good guy, very humble, and he’ll try to make things difficult for the coach. That’s normal. I’ll try to do my part.” On being the starter in the opener against Monza, he smiled: “I’m not the one who should answer that. In the end, the pitch will do the talking. I have to prove my worth, enough to deserve to be Inter’s goalkeeper. That’s all that matters.”

In these two years, he has learned a lot from Sommer, as he himself admitted. On Inter‘s objectives, he was clear: “We won’t give up on anything. We have to be ambitious on every front, even in the Champions League: we want to try again to go all the way.” On Stones, he added: “He will give us a lot in terms of personality and experience. He’s one of those players who raise the level of an entire department.”

As a Spaniard, he experienced the World Cup triumph in training camp with his teammates: “It was a real pleasure but, to be honest, I would have preferred to celebrate with my people in my country.” On the possibility of wearing the National Team jersey, he concluded: “More than a goal, it’s a dream. If I can establish myself at Inter, I’ll have some chances, why not? But Spain’s goalkeepers are phenomenal. The best in the world along with Donnarumma, whom we faced in Hong Kong.”