Arsenal defender Gabriel will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on his hamstring, the Premier League club announced on Thursday.
The Brazilian center-back sustained the injury during the early stages of Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Fulham on Tuesday, forcing him to limp off the pitch immediately.
“Gabi will undergo a surgical repair procedure to his hamstring in the coming days, and immediately begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme, with the aim to be ready for the start of next season,” Arsenal said in a statement.
This represents a significant setback for Mikel Arteta’s side as they sit 12 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race with eight games remaining. Arsenal are also preparing to host Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final next week.
Gabriel has been a cornerstone of Arsenal’s defense alongside William Saliba, with the pair helping the Gunners maintain the best defensive record in the Premier League, conceding just 25 goals in 30 matches. The two defenders, along with goalkeeper David Raya, had played more minutes than any other Arsenal players across all competitions this season.
Beyond his defensive contributions, Gabriel has been a threat from set-pieces, scoring five goals this campaign.
The 27-year-old becomes the third Arsenal player to suffer a major hamstring injury this season, joining Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, who also required surgery and missed three months.
Arteta’s defensive options were already limited, with Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, and Takehiro Tomiyasu sidelined. Jurrien Timber also left the Fulham match with a knee problem.
“You can imagine, we’ve lost four players in the defensive line in one week… We still have another four that are so willing that they will do their job,” Arteta said after Tuesday’s game.
Arsenal’s injury crisis extends to their attack as well, with strikers Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus also ruled out for the season.
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