Although the Selecao eased to a 5-1 win over Bolivia as they began their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in style, the Gunners centre-back was substituted in the final few minutes and seen with an ice pack on his thigh.
The 25-year-old was the recipient of a nasty challenge from Diego Ibanez inside the opening five minutes, being struck in his right knee by the Bolivian, but he managed to play on for almost the entire match before making way in the 85th minute (football.london).
Upon seeing an image of Gabriel on the bench with ice being applied to his thigh, physical therapy expert Dr. Rajpal Brar was initially unsure if it were ‘contact related or a muscle pull’ (Twitter/X).
However, he provided reassurance to Arsenal fans with a subsequent update, posting: ‘Based on what multiple people have told me, sounds contact related. Overall good news.’
Having already seen summer signing Jurrien Timber struck by an ACL injury and Thomas Partey ruled out for several weeks, the last thing that Mikel Arteta would’ve wanted was for another of his players to be consigned to the treatment table.
Thankfully, the update from Dr. Brar on Gabriel suggests that the 25-year-old hasn’t been affected very badly, and Gunners fans could be paying close attention to the Brazil teamsheet for their midweek clash against Peru to see if the centre-back is included.
His inclusion would point towards him being fit to feature for his club’s forthcoming trip to face Everton the following Sunday.
It could still be a nervy few days for Arsenal to see how quickly the defender recovers from the overnight body blow, although the verdict from the medical expert offers welcome encouragement.
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