Mikel Arteta facing Arsenal defensive injury crisis just days ahead of Real Madrid Champions League quarter-final
1 April 2025, 19:41 | Updated: 2 April 2025, 08:48
Mikel Arteta faces an anxious wait over the fitness of four defenders ahead of next week's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid.
Although the Gunners were boosted by the goalscoring return of Bukayo Saka, during Tuesday's 2-1 home win over Fulham, they lost Gabriel Magalhaes to a hamstring injury.
Arteta said: "Gabi felt something in his hamstring. We don't know how big that is."
Jurrien Timber was also hurt during the game while Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori were already sidelined alongside season-long absentee Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Gabriel was substituted just 16 minutes into the game after pulling up while sprinting back towards his own goal.
The centre-back was seen grimacing as he laid on the turf clutching the back of his right leg, and was subsequently replaced by Jakub Kiwior.
Meanwhile, Timber was forced off with a knee injury.
"They are two players in this team that never want to come off," added Arteta. "Gabi felt something in his hamstring, we don't know how big that is and with Jurrien as well, he was already struggling very early in the game. He managed to continue and at some point he couldn't."
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