Brazilian Football Federation Announces Gabriel's Withdrawal from Friendly Match
The Brazilian Football Federation announced on Sunday, November 16, 2025, that Gabriel, Arsenal's defender, will not participate in the upcoming friendly match between Brazil and Tunisia, scheduled for Tuesday at 8:30 PM in Lille, due to a muscular injury in his right thigh.
Injury Details
The injury occurred a day after Gabriel left the field prematurely during Brazil's 2-0 friendly match win against Senegal at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal's home stadium in London. The exact duration of his unavailability has not been specified by the federation.
Impact on Arsenal
Gabriel, 27, had played in all of Arsenal's Premier League matches this season until now. He had previously been sidelined for over three months in April due to a hamstring injury. This absence is a significant blow to Arsenal, who are preparing to face local rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea this month, with a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League table after 11 matches. The London club will also host Bayern Munich in the Champions League on November 26.
Recent Injuries at Arsenal
Gabriel is the second Arsenal defender to be injured recently, following the announcement by Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso that Ricardo Calafiori would be unavailable due to injury. The Brazilian defender is a key element of Arsenal's defense, having contributed to eight consecutive clean sheets in all competitions before the team conceded two goals in a 2-2 draw against Sunderland on November 8.
Other Injured Players
Arsenal will also be without several other players due to injury, including:
- Kai Havertz and Victor Okerech (forwards)
- Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli (wingers)
- Martin Ødegaard (attacking midfielder)
