Gabriel Magalhaes picked up an adductor injury on international duty, potentially ruling him out of crucial matches against Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is awaiting the severity of a groin injury sustained by defender Gabriel Magalhaes while on international duty with Brazil, raising concerns he could miss crucial upcoming fixtures against rivals like Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea.
According to a report from GiveMeSport, Arsenal are facing a nervous wait to determine the extent of the groin injury suffered by star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, which could rule him out of several season-defining matches ahead of the festive period.
The 27-year-old center-back picked up the muscle injury while playing for Brazil in their 2-0 friendly win over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium.
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the issue immediately after the match, stating:
“Bad? I don’t know, he [Gabriel] had a problem on his adductor the medical staff have to check tomorrow.” Ancelotti concluded:
“We are really sorry for this, really disappointed, when players have an injury I hope they can recover well and soon.”
Losing such a vital player—who has scored 18 Premier League goals for Arsenal, “at least six more than any other defender since he made his debut in the competition in September 2020″—could be detrimental to the Gunners’ Premier League ambitions, as they sit four points adrift at the top of the table after winning eight of their first 11 matches this season.
An injury expert named Physio Scout suggested on X (formerly Twitter) that Gabriel’s absence could last between 1–3 weeks or 3–6 weeks, depending entirely on the severity of the adductor/groin issue.
The expert noted that problems “closer to the hip (proximal) are generally more concerning.”
Should the injury be minor and keep him out for more than one week, Gabriel will miss the fierce North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on November 23.
If scans reveal a more serious Grade 2+ injury resulting in a two-week absence, he would also miss the Champions League clash against Bayern Munich on November 26 and the trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea four days later.
A three-week layoff would further rule him out of a Premier League double-header against Brentford and Aston Villa.
If sidelined for four weeks, Gabriel, who has not missed a minute of Premier League action this term, could also miss the Champions League away trip to Club Brugge on December 10, followed by Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In his place, summer signing Cristhian Mosquera, who has racked up 294 Premier League minutes this term, is the likely candidate to partner William Saliba.