Mikel Arteta (foto: Getty Images)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta detailed a behind-the-scenes struggle with Gabriel over playing through a hamstring issue that ultimately required surgery and ruled the defender out for the season.
Mikel Arteta has opened up about a behind-the-scenes battle with Gabriel Magalhães over a hamstring injury that has now ruled the Arsenal centre-back out for the remainder of the season. The Brazilian’s insistence on playing despite warnings from medical staff led to difficult decisions for the manager.
Gabriel was substituted early in Arsenal’s midweek win over Fulham, and scans later confirmed the need for surgery, making him the third key player to go under the knife in recent months, alongside Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz.
Arteta revealed how Gabriel had pushed to play repeatedly, even after picking up a grade one strain against West Ham. “It was a massive fight not to play him,” Arteta admitted. “He kept saying, ‘I want to play, I’m ready, I know my body, don’t listen to the scan!’”
The manager said the decision was an ongoing struggle between protecting the player and respecting his desire to contribute: “If I had played him on day six and this injury happened, I’d be hammered. But even with full protection, the injury still came. There’s a part of this we just can’t control.”
Gabriel’s absence now leaves Arsenal thin at the back during a crucial stretch. Jakub Kiwior could step in alongside William Saliba, while Ben White may also shift centrally. Hopes for Riccardo Calafiori to fill the gap are off the table, as the Italian remains sidelined with a knee injury from the international break.
With domestic and European challenges ahead, Arteta now faces a new defensive puzzle as Arsenal aim to stay competitive despite mounting injury setbacks.