Arsenal have been dealt a major blow as defender Gabriel Magalhães is expected to miss up to two months after suffering an injury while on international duty with Brazil. The centre-back limped off during a friendly against Senegal at the Emirates Stadium and returned early to London for further medical checks.
Initial assessments suggest the issue is in his right thigh, and reports indicate he may be sidelined until January. That puts him in danger of missing key fixtures, including the North London derby against Tottenham, the Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, and a Premier League showdown with Chelsea.
Gabriel will undergo scans to determine the full extent of the problem, but the early signs are worrying for Mikel Arteta, especially with the defender having played every minute of Arsenal’s league campaign so far.
Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti, speaking after their 2–0 win, said the severity of the injury was not yet clear: “Bad injury? I don’t know. He had a problem on his adductor, the medical staff have to check tomorrow.”
Arsenal may be forced to rely on summer signing Piero Hincapié, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen. The versatile Ecuadorian has made only two league appearances so far but could now be thrust into a crucial run of games.
Gabriel’s absence comes at a difficult time for the Gunners, who are already dealing with multiple injuries. Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Noni Madueke, and Viktor Gyökeres have all been sidelined recently, leaving Arteta with limited options across the pitch.
Despite the setbacks, Arsenal still boast the Premier League’s best defensive record this season, conceding just five goals in 11 matches — the fewest in the league. Gabriel has been central to that success and has contributed at the other end too, scoring twice and providing two assists in all competitions.
Arsenal’s schedule doesn’t get any easier, with the team hosting Spurs on Sunday before welcoming Bayern Munich and travelling to Stamford Bridge shortly after. If Gabriel’s injury keeps him out until mid-January, he could miss as many as 15 games across all competitions.
The Gunners now await detailed scan results to determine how long their defensive leader will realistically be unavailable.
