Italy head coach Gennaro Gattuso has shown Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti what should have happened with Gabriel after injury concern was raised before friendly which saw Arsenal defender come off
18:00, 17 Nov 2025
Carlo Ancelotti and Gennaro Gattuso were responsible for the fitness of two Arsenal players during the international break but chose different pathways
View Image
Carlo Ancelotti and Gennaro Gattuso were responsible for the fitness of two Arsenal players during the international break but chose different pathways(Image: Carlo Hermann/KONTROLAB /LightRocket via Getty Images)
Italy head coach Gennaro Gattuso has given Arsenal an injury boost and shown Brazil’s Carlo Ancelotti perhaps what he should have done to prevent Gabriel Magalhaes from suffering an issue with his adductor.
The Arsenal centre-half came off in a friendly against Senegal and is now a serious doubt for the North London Derby. The defender was reportedly facing some load concerns ahead of the game and warmed up in the Friday session separately from his teammates but started the match at the Emirates anyway.
Asked after the game for an update on the 27-year-old, Ancelotti apologised for the situation that had occurred.
"Bad? I don’t know, he had a problem [with] his adductor. The medical staff have to check tomorrow," the Brazil manager stated.
"We are really sorry for this, really disappointed. When players have an injury, I hope they can recover well and soon.”
Mikel Arteta was already facing some concerns about the members of his starting back four when Riccardo Calafiori joined up with the Italian national side in the knowledge he was carrying a hip problem. He didn’t travel with the team for their first international match but there was hope he could be involved against Norway.
However, Gattuso later confirmed that Calafiori had returned to Arsenal before the match. He made reference to the fact that it would have been unfair to his club and the player himself to push him while carrying a problem.
“Calafiori left the training camp,” Gattuso told a pre-match press conference on Saturday as reported by Sky Sports Italia.
Article continues below
“We tried Calafiori; he had a few issues. I thank him for his commitment: he stayed here for a week, he could have played perhaps, but it wouldn’t have been fair to him or Arsenal.”
Had Ancelotti shown the same caution, given the known issue with Gabriel, Arsenal would have benefited from his absence from the call. The benefit of hindsight is a great thing, but in this case, the signs were strong before kick-off that the Arsenal defender should not have started in this non-competitive clash.
Welcome to 'Seeing Red' - our new Arsenal podcast
We've launched a new Arsenal podcast 'Seeing Red' with chief football writer John Cross and Arsenal reporter Tom Canton.
Each week, they will dive deep into the biggest topics as they follow Mikel Arteta's side every step of the way - and will also discuss nostalgic flashbacks before each fixture.
It's a great time to be an Arsenal fan, with the Gunners flying high under Arteta as they look to win silverware this season.
The North Londoners are going strong in the Premier League and Champions League - and they're also in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
We'll provide insight and reaction - and have fun along the way - as Arsenal target the biggest trophies this season.
No stone will be left unturned. VAR controversy? Poor performances? Unsung hero who deserves praise? Fixture chaos? We'll have it all covered.
Click here to view our YouTube channel
Click here to download our podcasts