Photo Credit: Getty Images
Arsenal defender Gabriel will miss the rest of the season after the club confirmed he requires hamstring surgery. The Brazilian was forced off in the first half of Arsenal's 2-1 win over Fulham at the Emirates on Tuesday. A key figure in Arsenal's backline, Gabriel has started 28 of the club's 30 Premier League matches this season, contributing to the league's best defensive record with just 25 goals conceded.
The club stated that the 27-year-old is targeting a return for the start of the 2025-26 campaign. "Gabi will undergo a surgical repair procedure in the coming days and begin his recovery and rehabilitation with the goal of being ready for next season," Arsenal confirmed. His absence could prove costly, with Premier League Injuries reporting that Arsenal's win percentage drops significantly when he is unavailable.
Since his league debut, the team has won 63.5% of the 159 games he has played, compared to just 40.9% of the 22 he has missed. His injury adds to a growing trend, marking the 119th hamstring injury in the Premier League this season, an average of four per round of matches. Last season saw 163 hamstring injuries—the highest in five years—according to Premier Injuries data. Arsenal, currently second in the Premier League and 12 points behind leaders Liverpool with eight games remaining, also have a crucial Champions League quarter-final against holders Real Madrid. The first leg is set for 8 April at the Emirates, with the return fixture at the Bernabeu on 16 April.
Meanwhile, Spain's National Sports Council (CSD) has ruled that Dani Olmo and Pau Victor are eligible to play for Barcelona for the rest of the season. La Liga initially granted the club temporary licenses to register the forwards last summer but revoked them in January, claiming Barcelona failed to prove compliance with financial regulations by the 31 December deadline. The CSD later reinstated the pair following an appeal, and on Wednesday, it annulled an agreement between La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), ensuring their registrations remain valid. La Liga, however, insists that Barcelona lacks the financial capacity to register the players and plans to appeal the ruling. The league also lowered Barcelona's wage cap after identifying irregularities in their financial submissions for the 2024-25 season.
Barcelona had announced a €100m (£83m) deal on 3 January to sell VIP boxes at their redeveloped Nou Camp to comply with financial fair play rules, but La Liga claims the revenue was not properly recorded in their latest accounts. Olmo, a Barcelona academy graduate, rejoined the club from RB Leipzig for £52m last summer and has made 28 appearances this season, while La Masia product Victor has featured 22 times.
