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Arsenal’s slim chances Premier League glory faces significant hurdles as Mikel Arteta contends with a growing injury crisis.
The Gunners have been dealing with the long-term absence of striker Gabriel Jesus, who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Manchester United in the FA Cup in January.
German forward Kai Havertz is another significant absentee, sidelined with a hamstring injury that required surgery and will keep him out until the 2025/26 season.
Completing the defensive injury nightmare, Italian international Riccardo Calafiori sustained a serious knee injury during the international break – with Ben White suffering with injuries all campaign to pile on the misery
And now, the worst has been confirmed for Arsenal.
The North London club has confirmed that the hamstring injury key defender Gabriel Magalhaes picked up in their 2-1 win over Fulham requires surgery – with the Brazilian out for the rest of the season.
An official Arsenal 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.”
One bright spot amid the injury gloom has been the return of Bukayo Saka, who scored just seven minutes into his comeback against Fulham after a three-month absence due to a hamstring injury that required surgery.
Arsenal’s injury-hit squad now faces a demanding schedule that begins with a trip to Everton on Saturday, followed quickly by the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against European champions Real Madrid on Tuesday.
The congested fixture list continues with home matches against Brentford in the Premier League and the return leg against Real Madrid, before a trip to Ipswich Town.
This run of games will severely test the depth and resilience of Arteta’s squad, with little time for recovery between matches.
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