Inter’s autumn has brought an uncomfortable question back to the foreground: how long can Pepo Martinez remain the first choice before the club turns to Ivan Provedel?
The Spanish goalkeeper’s latest difficult night came in the Champions League against Bruges, where an error in coming off his line allowed Tresoldi to make it 2-1. The goal proved decisive in shaping the contest and added another damaging episode to a season that has already placed Martinez under increasing scrutiny.
It was a particularly stark comparison on a night when Sommer, now at the other end, made at least two important saves. Martinez has shown that he can produce good stops and is comfortable with the ball at his feet, an increasingly significant quality for a goalkeeper in the modern game. The concern is that those positives have repeatedly been undermined by moments of poor concentration.
A growing list of costly moments
By mid-October, Inter have enough evidence to make an initial assessment of Martinez’s start to the campaign. The mistake against Bruges followed three errors in the Serie A meeting with Udinese, as well as the costly incident in Madrid when he was pressed by Valverde.
Each case has reinforced the same doubt around a goalkeeper who arrived from Genoa with the expectation that he could handle the responsibility of playing regularly for a club competing on several fronts. The issue is no longer one isolated mistake, but whether the pattern can be contained while Inter move through a demanding run of fixtures.
Chivu has continued to back his goalkeeper
Cristian Chivu has so far stood firmly behind Martinez. Rather than removing him from the side to ease the pressure, the Inter coach has continued to select him from the start.
That choice has had its logic. A spell on the bench, at a time when Martinez is already dealing with criticism, could have been interpreted by the player as a punishment rather than a chance to reset. Chivu has instead tried to protect his goalkeeper by offering him continuity and public confidence.
But the calculation is becoming harder. Inter face five matches from the second half of October onwards, and the margin for further uncertainty is narrowing. The coaching staff must decide whether persistence can restore Martinez’s calm or whether continuing with him exposes the team to avoidable risk.
Provedel offers an experienced alternative
Provedel was signed during the summer as an experienced deputy, precisely to give Inter cover should Martinez encounter this kind of difficult spell. His presence means Chivu has a credible alternative available rather than a short-term emergency solution.
The coming weeks will therefore carry significance beyond one Champions League mistake. Martinez still has qualities that can justify patience, but Inter must now judge whether those qualities outweigh the recurring lapses. For a side with league and European ambitions, the goalkeeping decision could become one of the defining management calls of the early season.
