Speaking to Ian Wright on his YouTube channel, Ainsley Maitland-Niles has said he’s been modelling his game on Real Madrid legend, Marcelo.
Maitland-Niles is one of the most versatile players in the Gunners’s squad, often being asked to play in the midfield and in either wing-back spot, so it makes sense for him to model his game on one of the most dynamic players in Europe.
Marcelo has been the master of playing as a wing-back over the past decade, perfectly combining attacking prowess with defensive solidity, and Maitland-Niles clearly believes he’s a good role model.
Wright asked him about his position at Arsenal, to which Maitland-Niles replied:
“You have to go home and study a bit more, and watch how the team plays and adapt to the counter-movements. It’s almost like I’m playing three positions at one time in a 90 minute game.”
Wright then asked him if there were any players he’s been watching to model his game on, and the Englishman named the Real Madrid legend as one man he’s been watching.
“I’ve been watching a lot of Marcelo recently, he’s a very technical Brazillian, he likes to get forward, comfortable on the ball.”
Marcelo certainly isn’t a bad player to model your game on.
The left-footer has won four Champions League trophies at Real Madrid, and after a decade at the Santiago Bernabeu, he is a bona fide legend for Los Blancos.
If Maitland-Niles can have a career half as successful as Marcelo’s then he will have been a rousing success as the Brazilian has an incredibly impressive trophy cabinet.
Hopefully, we begin to see a bit of Marcelo’s style and flair shown in Maitland-Niles’ game.
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