Injured Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães was reportedly at the center of a violent clash during a six-a-side football match in London this week. The 27-year-old suffered an abduction injury while playing for Brazil in a friendly and has been sidelined since the November international break.
On Tuesday night, the centre-back was invited to watch a small-sided game between supporters of Brazilian club Botafogo in Peckham, south London. What started as casual fun quickly took a turn for the worse when a reckless challenge left one participant writhing in agony on the artificial surface.
According to The Sun, Gabriel charged from the touchline to confront the attacker.
The clash was non-violent, although video footage showed the former Lille defender shouting abuse in Portuguese.
“It was really unexpected. He didn’t look injured when he sprinted down the pitch to get involved,” said an eyewitness. “I don’t know if he knew them personally, but he just saw red and kind of flew off the handle.”
After the dust settled, both teams elected to cancel the game that night.
Gabriel is currently concentrating on rehabilitation and is aiming to return early next month.
His forced absence, combined with the absence of his regular centre-back partner William Saliba, has had a negative impact on Arsenal’s form.
Mikel Arteta’s injury-hit side have dropped points in two of their four Premier League games in which their defenders did not start with their full strength.
Arsenal host bottom-of-the-table Wolves on Saturday, with Julian Timber and either Piero Hincapie or Riccardo Calafioli expected to feature in central defence.
But Saliba is nearing a comeback.
Manager Arteta said: “We’ll have to wait and see.” “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.”
Timber was absent from Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League win against Club Brugge due to injury. “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 Declan Rice, who was also sidelined at Arsenal, the Gunners manager said: “Let’s see 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.”
Regarding Leandro Trossard, Arteta reiterated: “Again, it’s just a few days away. It may sound boring, but this is the reality and we never know.”
