“We decided after a big fight” - Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta opens up on ‘massive’ fight with Gunners star Gabriel Magalhaes

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shed light on the sequence of events leading up to key defender Gabriel Magalhaes' injury. The 27-year-old injured his hamstring in the 2-1 Premier League home win over Fulham last weekend.

Gabriel was substituted just 16 minutes into the game at the Emirates, with scans confirming the requirement of a surgery, ruling him out of the season. It has now emerged that the player might have exacerbated his injury after feeling something in his hamstring during the 1-0 home defeat to West Ham United in February.

Opening up on the player's willingness to play through injury, with games coming thick and fast, and the medical staff's concerns, Arteta said (as per GOAL):

"It was massive fight not to play him. Day six, ‘This one definitely I have to play.’ Everybody’s like, ‘There is still a chance of a risk to play’. We decided after a big fight, don’t play. Day nine, another game.

"'This one for sure,' Gabriel said. "The docs say there is a slight risk," Arteta said. "He can miss five, six, seven weeks if he has an injury after that. We said not to play. On day 12, he played. But I was very tempted on day six to play him.”

The Spaniard continued:

“If I would have played him day six, and he has the injury that he sustained now against Fulham, and he misses four weeks, four months, I would be hammered.

“So sometimes you protect the player for this to happen, and when the player is totally protected, then this happens as well. There is an element, guys, that we cannot control. You want to play them because the player is coming to your office. ‘I want to play, I want to play, I want to play. I’m ready. I know my body. Don’t listen to the scan!. "So we try to do our best."

The Gunners take on Everton away in the league on Saturday (April 5) before hosting holders Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg three days later.

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How has Gabriel Magalhaes fared for Arsenal this season?

Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes

Gabriel has been a key player for Arsenal this season, forming a solid centre-back partnership with William Saliba at the heart of defence. In 40 games across competitions, he has contributed five goals and three assists.

Three of those goals and as many assists have come in 28 outings in the Premier League, where Arteta's side trail runaway leaders Liverpool (73) by 12 points with eight games remaining.

Arsenal will have to negotiate the rest of the season without their key defender, starting with the Champions League clash with Los Blancos, as they seek a strong end to the season.