Inter’s goalkeeping debate will move into a new phase over the coming week, but Cristian Chivu is not ready to abandon Josep Martinez on the European stage. The Spanish goalkeeper is set to start against Shakhtar tonight, extending his run to 10 consecutive appearances, while Ivan Provedel is expected to be given his first meaningful opportunities after months on the sidelines.
Martinez has come under scrutiny following costly mistakes in Champions League matches against Real Madrid and Club Brugge. Yet Chivu still considers the former Genoa goalkeeper his first choice and has backed him both publicly and inside the club, even as doubts have grown around some of his recent performances.
The coach’s decision also reflects the importance of the occasion. Inter are still without a point in the competition and need a result against Shakhtar to prevent their European campaign becoming more complicated. The Champions League matters greatly to Oaktree, not least because of the financial return attached to progress in the tournament, and Chivu has chosen continuity rather than handing a major European night to a goalkeeper without match rhythm.
Provedel’s Serie A window
Provedel has not played a competitive match since 4 March, an absence of roughly seven months. That lay-off has counted heavily in Chivu’s immediate selection thinking: the 32-year-old was not considered ready to return directly in such a delicate continental fixture.
His chance should instead arrive in Serie A. The former Lazio goalkeeper is expected to start on Sunday against Fiorentina and again away to Venezia on Wednesday 28. Those matches would allow the Inter staff to assess his condition and reliability in a less severe environment than a decisive Champions League evening.
Provedel joined Inter for around €3 million and was initially signed as Martinez’s deputy. The difference in the club’s investment is clear. Martinez cost approximately €13 million, with a further €2 million possible in bonuses, and Inter have an understandable wish to protect the value of that commitment by giving him a sustained run.
Competition rather than a final verdict
Martinez’s basic focus has not been questioned, but his recent difficulties have come when he has tried to take control of situations too aggressively. Some of his exits, with and without the ball, have turned manageable moments into danger. The coming fixtures could therefore loosen a hierarchy that had appeared fixed at the beginning of the season.
Chivu wants two goalkeepers capable of playing their part across a long campaign, rather than an undisputed starter and an inactive reserve. Provedel’s scheduled league appearances may show whether he can become a genuine option, while Martinez has the chance to answer criticism by restoring authority in the matches that still belong to him.
No long-term decision is expected before the end of the season. Inter will then judge whether to continue with the current pair or enter the market for another number one. Serie A offers possible candidates, including Venezia’s Filip Stankovic, formerly of Inter. The club retain a 50 per cent share of any future sale involving the son of Dejan Stankovic and brother of Ale, a clause that could make a future return easier to arrange.
Lorenzo Palmisani is another goalkeeper admired by Inter. The Frosinone and Italy Under-21 player is also attracting Juventus interest, and remains among the young domestic options being followed in Milan. For now, however, the story is closer to home: Martinez has another European test, while Provedel waits for the league to make his case.
