Mikel Arteta finally looked set to see his Arsenal injury worries alleviate, but that has changed in brutal fashion with Gabriel Magalhaes ruled out for the season.
After three months out, Bukayo Saka returned to the matchday squad and scored just six minutes after coming on in the 2-1 win over Fulham but two players picked up fresh issues.
Inside the first quarter of an hour, Gabriel pulled up clutching his hamstring with Jurrien Timber also requiring treatment just before half time.
The Netherlands international was later taken off and Arteta's update on both after the game suggested there should be concern over their availability to face Real Madrid next week.
"With both of them, because they are two players in this team that never want to come off, are those two probably and Gabi felt something in his hamstring," [he admitted in a press conference.](https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/fixtures-results/every-word-mikel-arteta-said-31331356)
"We don't know how big that is and with Jurrien as well. He was already struggling very early in the game. He managed to continue, at some point he couldn't. So that's the downside to it."
Timber appears to have just picked up a knock and could therefore feature against both Everton and Madrid in the next five days. [Gabriel's issue, however, looks much more serious with the defender undergoing scans to understand the full extent of his injury](https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/gabriel-magalhaes-arsenal-injury-update-31339955) and that has now been revealed.
A club statement read: "Further to being substituted during our match against Fulham on Tuesday, we can confirm that Gabriel Magalhaes has sustained a hamstring injury which requires surgery.
"Gabi will undergo a surgical repair procedure to his hamstring in the coming days, and immediately begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme, with the aim to be ready for the start of next season.
"Everyone at the club will be fully focused on supporting Gabi to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible."
Riccardo Calafiori is another expected to miss the two ties with Madrid after he suffered a knee injury during the March international break.
There is also doubt surrounding Ben White as he was left out of the squad to face Fulham because of a minor issue.
”He had a little niggle two days ago," Arteta explained ahead of Fulham. "Yesterday we tried, he wasn’t feeling right, so we decided not to put him in the squad today.”
Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Takehiro Tomiyasu are the guaranteed absentees with all three having undergone surgery. While Havertz could return in pre-season, Jesus and Tomiyasu are expected back in late 2025.