Arsenal’s Defensive Crisis Deepens as Gabriel Injured on International Duty

- by Olatunji Johnson

Mikel Arteta faces an anxious wait as his key defender suffers a groin injury with the crucial North London Derby just days away.

Arsenal’s title ambitions have suffered a potential major blow after first-choice defender Gabriel was forced off with a groin injury while playing for Brazil in a friendly against Senegal at the Emirates Stadium.

The 27-year-old, who has been an ever-present rock in Arsenal’s Premier League defense this season, pulled up on the hour mark and was substituted. The sight of their star center-back limping off will have filled Arsenal fans and manager Mikel Arteta with dread, with a season-defining run of fixtures on the horizon.

After the match, a concerned Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the nature of the problem. “I think he had the problem in his abductor,” Ancelotti told reporters. “The medical staff has to check tomorrow. We are really sorry for this… I hope that he can recover well and [be back] soon.”

The timing could hardly be worse for the Gunners. Arsenal’s defense, which has conceded a league-low five goals, now faces its sternest test. The team returns from the international break on November 23rd with a blockbuster North London Derby against Tottenham, followed by a critical Champions League clash with Bayern Munich and tough league matches against Chelsea and Aston Villa.

To compound Arteta’s worries, fellow defender Riccardo Calafiori has also returned early from international duty with Italy due to a hip issue, leaving Arsenal’s central defensive options suddenly looking thin.

The club now faces an anxious wait for medical updates, hoping their defensive stalwart can recover in time for the pivotal showdown against their arch-rivals.

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