Gabriel Martinelli, the Arsenal forward, has spoken about his experiences adjusting between the playing styles of his club and the Brazil national team.
During a press conference at Granja Comary in Rio de Janeiro, Martinelli shared insights into how his roles differ under the guidance of Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and Brazil’s Fernando Diniz, while also expressing his excitement about facing Lionel Messi in their upcoming match.
“They are different working methods, different coaches. Everyone has their own way, their own tactics,” Martinelli explained.
“At Arsenal, Mikel [Arteta] has his way, here in the national team Diniz has his. They are two different ways of playing, but from teams that like to have the ball.
“I’ve never played as much in creation as I did in the last game, but I felt good, Diniz has been talking to me and giving me a lot of confidence. So, as I said, I’m pretty confident and I feel comfortable playing there as well.”
His anticipation for the match against Argentina is high, especially with the prospect of playing against Messi. “It’s a dream come true to also play against one of the best players in history,” Martinelli added.
“So, I think I’m very happy to be sharing the pitch with him and other players, but in my team, there are a lot of quality players. We have to focus on our team and come out with the victory.”
Martinelli also reflected on the importance of such high-profile matches for both his club and national team career. “When you’re little, you always dream of playing big games like this, for the national team or for a club. For sure it will be a very big game, but we know the quality of our team, the weight of our shirt, and the pride we carry,” he concluded.
The upcoming game is crucial for Brazil, currently sitting at fifth in the World Cup qualifiers with seven points, while Argentina leads with 12.