Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta is losing another key player ahead of two immensely important matches. The latest cause for concern is center back Gabriel, who has not missed a single minute of Premier League action this season.
Time and again, club coaches watch their players’ performances for the national team with a worried look on their faces. Mikel Arteta is likely to feel much the same during the last international break of the 2025 calendar year. And there has already been two pieces of bad news: first, Riccardo Calafiori left the Italian national team injured, then Brazilian Gabriel was also sent back to the Gunners due to injury.
Defensive specialist Calafiori is struggling with a hip injury, which is why he missed the entire match in Moldova (2-0) and left Italy’s training camp early on Saturday. National coach Gennaro Gattuso revealed this at the press conference ahead of the final World Cup qualifier against Norway: “We tried with Calafiori, but he had a few problems. I thank him for his commitment: he stayed here for a week and could perhaps have played, but that would not have been fair to him or Arsenal.”
According to consistent reports in the English media, Calafiori’s participation in next Sunday’s eagerly awaited North London derby against Tottenham (5:30 p.m.) is not in jeopardy.
Gabriel to miss Brazil vs. Tunisia match
The situation is different for one Arsenal defender who has not missed a single Premier League minute this season: Gabriel was injured at the Emirates Stadium during his international match for Brazil against Senegal (2-0). He had to be replaced by Roma’s Wesley in the 64th minute. Gabriel buried his head in his jersey when he was substituted, after receiving treatment on the pitch. The Brazilian Football Confederation reported on Sunday that further examinations of the 27-year-old had revealed a “muscle injury in his right thigh.” Gabriel will therefore not be available for Brazil’s second match against Tunisia in Lille on Tuesday (8:30 p.m.) and will instead remain in London.
Major concerns in attack as well
Not only does Gabriel’s participation in the league derby appear to be in jeopardy, but also the Champions League clash with FC Bayern on November 26. That match will see two of the three teams still undefeated (along with Inter) face each other. With Gabriel out, it would make sense for Calafiori to move from left back to center back and for former Leverkusen player Piero Hincapie to take the Italian’s position. It remains to be seen who Arteta will have available against Bayern – immediately before the international break, Martin Ödegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyökeres, Noni Madueke, and Kai Havertz were all missing due to injury.
