Arsenal Announce Defender Gabriel Will Miss Rest of Season Due to Hamstring Injury

Arsenal defender Gabriel will miss the remainder of the season following surgery on his hamstring, a significant setback for Mikel Arteta’s squad, the Premier League club announced on Thursday.

The Brazilian sustained the injury in the opening moments of the 2-1 victory against Fulham on Tuesday and was immediately substituted, leaving the pitch with a noticeable limp.

“Gabi is set to undergo a surgical procedure to repair his hamstring in the upcoming days, with plans to commence his recovery and rehabilitation immediately, aiming for a return by the beginning of next season,” Arsenal stated in their announcement.

Currently, Arsenal finds themselves 12 points adrift of Liverpool in the title chase, with only eight matches remaining. They are also preparing to host Real Madrid for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals next week.

Gabriel has been a cornerstone of Arsenal’s defence alongside centre-back partner William Saliba, contributing significantly to the team’s impressive defensive record, having conceded just 25 goals in 30 league games this season.

This defensive duo, alongside goalkeeper David Raya, has logged more minutes on the pitch than any other players in the squad across all competitions this year.

Additionally, Gabriel has played a crucial role during attacking set-pieces, netting five goals in all competitions.

He becomes the third Arsenal player to suffer a serious hamstring injury, joining compatriot Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, the latter of whom also required surgery and faced a three-month recovery.

The Gunners are already missing defenders Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, and Takehiro Tomiyasu, while Jurrien Timber also left the game against Fulham due to a knee issue.

“As you can imagine, we’ve lost four defenders in just one week… However, we still have another four players ready and willing to step up and fulfill their roles,” Arteta remarked after the Fulham match.

The club has also suffered further blows with strikers Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus both facing season-ending injuries earlier in the year.