🚨🎙️Carlo Ancelotti on Gabriel Martinelli playing as a No. 8:
🗣️"When people talk about Martinelli, they immediately think of a winger because of his pace and his ability to beat defenders. But football has changed. The modern No. 8 is not only a passer—he must press, cover distance, attack the box, and make intelligent runs without the ball. Martinelli has many of those qualities already. He has an exceptional work rate, he is aggressive in the press, and he never hides from responsibility.
If you build the right structure around him, I believe he could adapt to that role. He has the energy to play between both boxes, the courage to carry the ball through midfield, and the instinct to arrive in dangerous areas at the right moment. Of course, it would take time because positioning is different, but great players learn quickly. Sometimes a player surprises you most when you move him away from the position everyone associates him with. I wouldn't be afraid to try Martinelli as an attacking No. 8 in certain matches because I think he has the intelligence and personality to make it work."