Diagnosis confirmed: Arsenal learn Gabriel injury as Brazil release statement
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Arsenal learn the diagnosis of Gabriel Magalhaes’s recent injury, with the Brazil national team releasing a statement on Sunday afternoon.
Arsenal have learned the diagnosis of Gabriel Magalhaes’s injury, with the Brazil national team releasing a statement on Sunday afternoon.
The Gunners centre-back took to his own field on Saturday evening, turning out for the Selecao in a 2-0 friendly win over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium, where Estevao Willian and Casemiro were on target.
However, Gabriel left the field prematurely in the 49th minute with an apparent groin injury, which Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti apologised for in his post-match press conference.
Gabriel’s injury triggered mass concern among Arsenal fans, whose side face a daunting run of fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich and Chelsea between now and the end of the month following the international break.
Now, Brazil have released a new update on the 27-year-old’s issue, confirming that he has sustained a thigh injury to his right leg and will not take part in their upcoming friendly against Tunisia.
Brazil release injury statement on Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes
“Gabriel Magalhaes will not travel with the team for the game against Tunisia,” a statement read. “The defender left the field yesterday after feeling pain in the adductor muscle of his right thigh.
“Arsenal player Gabriel Magalhaes was re-evaluated this Sunday (16) and underwent imaging tests that revealed a muscle injury in his right thigh. Therefore, the player will not travel with the team to the match against Tunisia in Lille. No other player will be called up to replace him.”
It is still unclear how long Gabriel’s issue may sideline him for, but even minor thigh injuries often require a two or three-week recovery period, so it is not impossible to envisage him missing all of Spurs, Bayern and Chelsea over the next fortnight.
Gabriel’s possible absence for those three huge clashes would be a blow of monumental proportions to Mikel Arteta, who has overseen the Brazil international’s rise into one of the most respected defenders in Europe during his five years at the Emirates.
The 27-year-old has scored two goals and provided three assists in 17 matches across all competitions this season, as well as playing his part in a stellar 13 clean sheets for the Premier League leaders.
How can Arsenal replace injured Gabriel Magalhaes in defence?
Owing to what Gabriel brings in both boxes for Arsenal, the South American set-piece specialist is arguably irreplaceable for the Gunners, but Arteta and Andrea Berta have built a squad capable of coping with such absences.
Arsenal were handed a scare over Riccardo Calafiori this weekend too, as the Italy international withdrew from the Azzurri camp with a hip injury, but the Gunners are expecting him to be available for the North London derby.
Calafiori would be a natural alternative to Gabriel alongside William Saliba, and the Italian moving to a central role would allow either Myles Lewis-Skelly or Piero Hincapie to take up left-back duties while Gabriel recovers.
However, Arteta could also make the straight swap between the former Lille man and Hincapie, thus keeping Calafiori in his hybrid left-back role, where the ex-Bologna defender has excelled this season.
Jurrien Timber would not look out of place in a left centre-back role either, but Arteta has frequently talked up Hincapie since his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, so the Ecuador international should be gearing up for a North London derby start next weekend.
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