Carlo Ancelotti has called up Fluminense midfielder Martinelli for Brazil's upcoming friendly matches. The 24-year-old replaces Chelsea forward João Pedro, who suffered an injury and missed training on Tuesday.
Ancelotti «made a change to the list of called-up players», the head coach said. The team is preparing for three games during the FIFA window, with the first one scheduled for September 25 in Australia. Brazil, who top their World Cup group with seven points from three games, face Australia in Townsville and Brisbane before travelling to Kolkata to play India on October 3.
João Pedro, also 24, will be unavailable for Chelsea's Championship match against Brentford on Friday. His absence opened the door for Martinelli's first senior national team call-up. Brazil enter these fixtures following a 2-1 loss to Norway in July but with a record of three wins and a draw in their last five outings. Fans can check the full preparation schedule on the fixtures page and the updated squad in the squad section. The next match, against Australia, is this coming Saturday.
More detail at Folha Esporte
