Arsenal face Real Madrid in a huge Champions League showdown next week
They are likely to be without a key first-team star after he hobbled off on Tuesday
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By BEN WILLCOCKS
Published: 15:17 EDT, 1 April 2025 | Updated: 15:49 EDT, 1 April 2025
Arsenal injury woes worsened on Tuesday as a crucial first-team star was forced to limp off just 16 minutes into their Premier League clash against Fulham.
Mikel Arteta, who has been navigating a challenging injury crisis in attack since the turn of the year, was forced into an early change after Gabriel Magalhaes hit the turf with a suspected hamstring problem.
The hammer blow comes just a week before the first leg of Arsenal's huge Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.
Jakub Kiwior was called upon to replace Gabriel and partner William Saliba at the heart of Arsenal's defence against Fulham, with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Jurrien Timber also starting at the Emirates on the night.
Arsenal fans had hoped the club's injury woes were behind them after Arteta confirmed Gunners star man Bukayo Saka had returned from his hamstring injury, naming him on the bench against the Cottagers.
'Bukayo is ready to go,' said Arteta during his press conference on Monday.
Arsenal injury woes worsened on Tuesday as Gabriel Magalhaes (above) was forced to limp off just 16 minutes into the Gunners' Premier League clash against Fulham at the Emirates
It marks a major blow for Mikel Arteta just a week out from their clash against Real Madrid
The Brazilian defender hit the turf and held his head, before hobbling off in the 16th minute
'All the careful things are already done so it's now about putting him on the grass in the right moments but he is pushing because he wants it.
'We have respected the time frame, we have done everything, we had to hold him back even. So he's ready to go.'
But Gabriel's injury marks a significant setback for the Spanish manager, who has played the Brazilian in 41 matches across all competitions so far this campaign.
While helping the Gunners carve out the best defensive record in the Premier League so far, Gabriel has also been a lethal weapon from set-pieces, with five goals to his name in total.
Fellow defenders Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori are out with long-term injuries, while forwards Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are also on the treatment table a week out from the first leg at the Emirates.
Gabriel spent the last two weeks on international duty with Brazil and featured in the country's 2-1 win over Colombia in a 2026 World Cup qualifier last Friday.
However, the centre-half was not selected to feature on Wednesday against bitter rivals Argentina, who triumphed 4-1 over Brazil on home soil.
Real Madrid are suffering an injury crisis of their own in defence ahead of the Champions League showdown against Arsenal in seven days time, with doubts over the availability of Eder Militao, Daniel Carvajal, Ferland Mendy and even goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Militao and Carvajal in particular are expected not to return until the start of next season, with in-form youngster Raul Asencio and David Alaba partnering full-backs Lucas Vazquez and Eduardo Camavinga in defence against Real Sociedad on Tuesday.
Jakub Kiwior was called upon to replace Gabriel as he hobbled off with injury at the Emirates
Arteta will be sweating over Gabriel's availability ahead of facing Madrid in seven days time
In better injury news for the Gunners, Bukayo Saka returned to the bench against Fulham
After facing Fulham, Arsenal travel to Goodison Park on Saturday to take on David Moyes' Everton, who will hope to stop archrivals and runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool in their tracks with a win on Wednesday.
Ahead of Tuesday's clash at the Emirates, Liverpool held a 12-point advantage over Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with just nine games to go.