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Arsenal have confirmed that Gabriel Magalhães requires surgery on his injured hamstring and will miss the rest of the season in a major blow before the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on Tuesday.
The Brazil defender limped off after 16 minutes of Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Fulham on Tuesday, with Mikel Arteta stating after the match that the player had “felt something in his hamstring”. Gabriel was sent for scans on Wednesday.
“We can confirm that Gabriel Magalhães has sustained a hamstring injury which requires surgery,” an Arsenal statement said. “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.”
Gabriel has been one of Arsenal’s outstanding performers this season and his absence leaves Arteta with major issues before Saturday’s trip to Everton in the Premier League and Tuesday’s game at home to Madrid. Jakub Kiwior deputised for Gabriel against Fulham. The versatile Jurriën Timber was forced off with a knee injury and it is not known whether he will return.
Ben White, who is also capable of playing centrally, missed the Fulham game with a knee injury and Riccardo Calafiori is out for at least two weeks after being injured with Italy. It leaves Arteta with potentially only four fit defenders. The strikers Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have been ruled out for the season and Mikel Merino has been deployed as a makeshift centre-forward in recent weeks.
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Liverpool’s win over Everton on Wednesday means Arsenal are 12 points behind the leaders before their final visit to Goodison Park. The Premier League title could be wrapped up by the time Arsenal play at Anfield in a fixture moved to Sunday 11 May. Arsenal will host Crystal Palace on Wednesday 23 April because of Palace’s FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa the following weekend.
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