'Not everyone can achieve this!' – Josep Martinez breaks silence as ten-man Inter snatch vital win

Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martinez produced three vital saves to secure a 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at San Siro. The Spanish shot-stopper hailed his team-mates' resilience after the Nerazzurri held on with ten men following Alessandro Bastoni's red card.

Spanish goalkeeper produces heroics in dramatic European win

Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martinez proved decisive as the Nerazzurri claimed their first UEFA Champions League win of the season, beating Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 at San Siro. Carlos Augusto scored the winning goal in the 77th minute following an assist from Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

The victory came under challenging circumstances after defender Alessandro Bastoni received a second yellow card in the 68th minute, leaving Inter with ten men.

Martinez anchored the defensive effort, producing key interventions in both halves to preserve the clean sheet.

Martinez hails squad resilience after crucial clean sheet

Speaking to Inter TV after the match, Martinez expressed delight over the team's ability to grind out a result under intense pressure. "I'm happy for the team; it was a very important match for us after not picking up any points in our first two games," Martinez stated.

"A win like that with a man down is incredibly valuable; it's not something everyone can achieve."

"In terms of humility, hard work, and the desire to never give up, it was a victory we really needed," the Spaniard added.

Chivu praises Martinez and team-wide commitment

Inter head coach Cristian Chivu praised Martinez's contribution while emphasizing the importance of instilling confidence across his entire squad. "I care about all my goalkeepers; they're excellent, and I can't be drastic in passing judgments for errors," Chivu observed.

"The goalkeeper always gets the headlines, but my job is to instill serenity and confidence, to Pepo as well as to the others."

"With ten men, we showed that we know how to suffer, raising our level of concentration and energy," Chivu noted.

Nerazzurri kickstart Champions League campaign

Having secured three vital points, Inter look to build momentum in the Champions League league phase after starting their campaign with consecutive defeats.

The hard-fought win at San Siro provides a significant confidence boost for Chivu's side as they navigate a demanding schedule.

Inter return to domestic action before continuing their European journey against Feyenoord.