Has Gabriel Magalhaes’ season ended prematurely?
Arsenal legend Ian Wright is concerned about the injury to the team’s defensive core, Gabriel Magalhaes, and believes that the Brazilian center back may miss the rest of the season due to injury.
In the 2024/25 Premier League season, Arsenal hosted Fulham in the 30th round. However, just 15 minutes into the game, Gabriel pulled a hamstring while making a high-speed comeback, forcing him to leave the field early, which was a heavy blow to the Gunners.
Match review: Arsenal narrowly wins
After Gabriel was forced to leave the field due to injury, manager Arteta quickly made an adjustment, sending Jakub Kiwior on to fill the gap in the backline. Despite this unexpected setback, Arsenal still showed their powerful attacking prowess in the following match. Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka scored consecutively to establish a 2-0 lead for the home team. Although Fulham scored a goal in the late stages of the game by Rodrigo Muniz, they still lost to Arsenal 2-1.
Injury concerns: Arsenal’s defense challenges
Arsenal will face Everton away this weekend, and next week the team will face a key battle in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals against Real Madrid. At such a critical time, the injury of the main defender Gabriel has undoubtedly cast a shadow over Arsenal’s road to the championship.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright expressed his concerns after the game: “His injury is worrying. I think he will be out for at least two weeks, and if the situation is serious, he may be out for six weeks or even the whole season. This is a heavy blow to Arsenal, because his role on the back line is irreplaceable. He has been an important pillar of Arsenal’s back line for many years, and the team’s defensive system will be greatly affected by his absence.”
Wright’s view was echoed by former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Karen Carney, who added: “From the game, it looked like he pulled his hamstring while trying to catch up with Adama Traore. Arsenal have had a lot of hamstring injuries recently, and Gabriel’s injury is even more worrying, especially with Real Madrid coming up. As the team’s stable defensive core, losing him will undoubtedly be a major loss for Arsenal.”
How will Arsenal deal with Gabriel’s absence?
Gabriel’s injury will undoubtedly make Arsenal’s defense face even greater challenges. Under these circumstances, manager Arteta may need to adjust his tactics and rely on players such as Kivel and Saliba to fill the gap. In addition, the experienced Ben White may also be deployed in the center to maintain the stability of the back line.
The upcoming schedule is crucial for Arsenal, as the team not only continues to compete for the Premier League title, but also faces a strong opponent Real Madrid in the Champions League. At such a critical moment, how to adjust the lineup and stabilize the defense will become the core issue that Arteta and his team need to solve.
Summary: Arsenal’s test has just begun
Although Arsenal secured three crucial points against Fulham, Gabriel’s injury has undoubtedly added uncertainty to the team’s road to the title. If his injury is serious and he is out for an extended period of time, Arsenal may need to make bolder decisions regarding the adjustments to the defense. As the season enters the home stretch, every step of the Gunners will be crucial. How to maintain their fighting spirit in the absence of key defenders will directly affect the team’s final results in various competitions.
