The incident occurred in the 67th minute of the match at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, 17 October 2026. Attempting to clear an Everton free-kick, Martínez charged off his line to punch the ball clear of the penalty area. In doing so, he collided heavily with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. Both players went down immediately, prompting an urgent response from medical staff on the pitch. While Branthwaite recovered relatively quickly after receiving treatment, Martínez remained down on the turf for a prolonged period.

Chelsea’s medical team and paramedics rendered emergency treatment on the pitch. Due to the severity of the impact, paramedics administered supplemental oxygen before carefully placing the goalkeeper on a stretcher to carry him off the field. The lengthy delay required 11 minutes of added time at the end of normal regulation play. In the 75th minute, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso sent on 21-year-old goalkeeper Mike Penders to replace the injured veteran.

Speaking after the final whistle, Alonso clarified that the Argentine international remained conscious while being transported off the pitch. He confirmed that Martínez was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure to undergo detailed scans and neurological assessments to rule out long-term complications from the collision.

Despite the distressing loss of their first-choice goalkeeper, Chelsea maintained their composure to claim all three points. Portuguese winger Pedro Neto proved decisive, scoring twice to seal a comfortable win over Everton.

Match-winner Neto expressed mixed emotions while speaking to TNT Sports after the game. He stated that while the squad was thrilled with the result, everyone was deeply concerned for their teammate’s wellbeing. Sending his best wishes for a swift recovery, Neto dedicated the victory directly to Martínez. The three points move Chelsea up to fourth place in the Premier League table, accumulating 13 points from seven matches.