Arteta gets extremely anxious whenever there is an injury.

17/11/2025 07:26:00 pandatv

If asked what Mikel Arteta fears most after every FIFA international break, it is the Arsenal medical team having to deal with new injured players. Unfortunately, bad news came to the Emirates regarding Calafiori and Gabriel.

Both Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel have been crucial figures in Arsenal’s defense this season. Along with Jurrien Timber and goalkeeper David Raya, they have played every match so far. This has contributed to Arsenal having the strongest defense in the Premier League, conceding only five goals and currently leading the league with 26 points.

During the recent FIFA break, Calafiori was unable to play for Italy due to a hip problem, while Gabriel suffered a groin injury in Brazil’s friendly against Senegal after playing for just over an hour. While Calafiori’s injury was not deemed serious, Gabriel’s health situation has caused Arteta more worry than ever.

It is no exaggeration to say that Gabriel is one of the world’s best center-backs right now. In Arteta’s view, Gabriel and Rice are very hard to replace at the Emirates. The Brazilian stands out not only for his defensive qualities like strong challenges and interceptions but also as a formidable attacking weapon for Arsenal on set pieces. Gabriel’s two goals and three assists across all competitions have helped Arsenal survive games when their forwards fail to convert chances into goals.

Arteta is deeply unsettled by Gabriel’s injury with the Brazil national team.

The injuries to Calafiori and Gabriel have worsened the already overloaded Arsenal medical situation. Arteta’s attacking line has been devastated as Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Noni Madueke, and Viktor Gyokeres have all suffered injuries. In the last two matches against Slavia Prague and Sunderland, Arteta was forced to push Mikel Merino into a false number 9 position due to the absence of strikers, a tactic not unfamiliar from last season. Arsenal’s midfield also lost captain Martin Odegaard, but this season the squad depth has allowed Arteta to easily find replacements for the Norwegian midfielder.

Replacing Calafiori’s position is not difficult, with Myles Lewis-Skelly and newcomer Hincapie ready to play left-back. However, finding a new partner who clicks with William Saliba in central defense is very challenging. Mosquera is the most feasible option to replace Gabriel, but he has only started one Premier League match this season, a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. Replacing Gabriel long-term is a significant challenge for the 21-year-old defender.

What is even more concerning is that these defensive injuries have come just before Arsenal faces three tough matches. They will play two consecutive London derbies in the Premier League against Tottenham and Chelsea. Both teams are in good form and could seriously threaten Arsenal’s top position, even though Arsenal currently leads second-placed Manchester City by 4 points. Between these two matches, Arsenal will host Bayern Munich, a team performing strongly in both the Bundesliga and Champions League.

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