Lionel Messi has Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli giddy ahead of Brazil v Argentina

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Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli is set to start for Brazil against Argentina, where he will be facing football legend Lionel Messi.

In what is a highly-anticipated clash at the Maracana Stadium, Martinelli, as well as fellow Arsenal stars Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Jesus, will all be starting for Fernando Diniz’s side.

Both Brazil and Argentina lost to Colombia and Uruguay last week, and both teams will be aiming to beat their heated rivals.

The World Cup winners will arrive at the Maracana with the likes of Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Enzo Fernandez, and Martinelli has now spoken about his excitement that he will face Messi for the first time in his career.

Gabriel Martinelli’s Lionel Messi excitement

Speaking ahead of the showdown in Rio De Janeiro, Martinelli expressed his excitement that he will be sharing a pitch with arguably the greatest player ever.

“About Messi… he is a phenomenal player, the best in the world this year again,” he stated.

“I want to enjoy the moment of being able to play against him, being able to be in the same stadium as him, watching him up close because I’ve only seen him in video games.

“It’s going to be a wonderful experience.”

Arsenal’s showdowns with Lionel Messi

Arsenal have encountered Messi a fair few times over his glittering career, as the attacking superstar put Arsene Wenger’s sides to the sword on multiple occasions in the Champions League.

Messi has scored an astonishing nine goals in six games against Arsenal, which included four goals in one game at the Camp Nou in April 2010.

Internationally, a number of Arsenal players have encountered Messi in major tournaments. Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski were part of the Germany squad which defeated Argentina in the 2014 World Cup Final, with Ozil starting against Messi as the two opposing number 10s.

Alexis Sanchez also helped Chile beat Messi’s Argentina in two Copa America’s, whilst William Saliba was an unused substitute for France in last year’s World Cup final in Qatar.

Gabriel Magalhaes will face a particularly tough test as he aims to keep Messi out at the Maracana, whilst Martinelli and Jesus will be hoping they can outscore the veteran on their home turf.

Brazil have never lost a home World Cup qualifier, and the Arsenal trio will hope they are not part of a side which breaks this record and loses to their heated rivals.