"How do you see the midfield? Barella is with us, he's suspended in the first game. I spoke to Tonali 10 days ago; surely we can't afford to miss an important player like him for the semifinals. I think it's difficult that he'll play against Norway. Regista? Locatelli can play there, Ricci too. We have it. Locatelli is a natural playmaker, Ricci can also play as a mezzala."
"I spent 14-15 years at Milanello. I have memories, but I'm not emotional [to return]. There are so many things to think about. As for Gabbia, I also told him, he's a lad who has grown a lot. I like the way he plays and how he trains. I knew he was a serious guy, but I have to say that he's really improved in recent years, and he's doing things seriously. When a player is humble and understands this, it's already a great value."
Gennaro Gattuso selected Samuele Ricci and Matteo Gabbia for the November internationals after AC Milan produced strong early-season form and both players emerged. Gabbia has developed into a defensive pillar for Milan while Ricci is receiving more regular starts. Italy face a challenging path to World Cup qualification and look likely to need the play-off route. Gattuso spoke at Coverciano before the squad moves to Milanello and noted midfield availability concerns, mentioning Barella's suspension and Tonali's doubtful status. He identified Locatelli as a natural regista and said Ricci can also operate as a mezzala. Gattuso praised Gabbia's improvement, humility and professionalism.
Read at SempreMilan
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