Arsenal have been without Gabriel Magalhães since the defender was injured in Brazil’s game against Senegal last month, but he has returned to the pitch in bizarre fashion.
Injured Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhães was involved in a violent brawl during a six-a-side match in London this week. Gabriel, 27, has not played for the Gunners since the November international break after sustaining an abduction injury while playing in a friendly against Brazil.
On Tuesday night, the defender was invited to watch a small-sided match between supporters of Brazilian side Botafogo in Peckham, south London. What started as a friendly kickabout turned ugly when a bad tackle left one player slumped in agony on the Astro turf.
The Sun reported that Gabriel ran from the sideline and confronted the gunman. Footage shows the former Lille star taunting them in Portuguese, but the altercation did not turn physical.
An onlooker told the paper: “It was really unexpected. He didn’t look injured as he sprinted down the pitch to get into the game.” “I don’t know if he knew them personally, but he just saw red and kind of flew off the handle.”
Once the dust settled, players from both teams decided to call it a night. Gabriel is currently continuing his rehabilitation and hopes to return to action early next month.
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His absence, combined with the absence of reliable centre-back partner William Saliba, had a negative impact on Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s injury-hit side have dropped points in two of the four Premier League games in which the duo did not start.
Arsenal host bottom-of-the-table Wolves on Saturday, with Julian Timber and either Piero Hincapie or Riccardo Calafioli likely to play at centre-back. However, Saliba is close to returning.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” Arteta said in Friday’s pre-match press conference. “He didn’t train yesterday, so we have one more day until this afternoon, but let’s see if he’s available.
“That doesn’t change. If he’s asked to play against Everton, I think he’ll be fit, but we don’t know tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Timber missed Wednesday’s Champions League match away to Club Brugge due to a knock. “Again, it depends on how I feel today,” Arteta said of Timber.
“It was a knock that he picked up and he wasn’t feeling comfortable. So, again, I think it’s a matter of a few days, but we’ll see if it’s tomorrow.”
Regarding Arsenal’s other injured member, Declan Rice, the Gunners manager explained: “Let’s take a look at how he was today. He was sick, it’s sick. Usually it gets better in a few days, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
And regarding Leandro Trossard, Arteta reiterated: “Again, a few days later. It may sound boring, but this is the reality and we never know.”
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