London, England — Arsenal Football Club faced a bittersweet moment on April 4 as they secured a 2-1 victory over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium. Although Bukayo Saka made a triumphant return after three months out and scored just seven minutes after coming on as a substitute, the joy was dampened by injuries to key players Gabriel Magalhães and Jurrien Timber.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta now heads into a crucial Premier League match against Everton this Saturday while also preparing for a massive UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash with holders Real Madrid next Tuesday.
With Gabriel now sidelined for the season and both Timber and Ben White undergoing evaluations for their respective injuries, Arteta faces a significant defensive crisis ahead of what many consider the biggest game of the season.
During a recent episode of the “Handbrake Off” podcast, football analysts Ian Stone, Adrian Clarke, and James McNicholas discussed Arsenal’s chances against Real Madrid amidst this turmoil.
James expressed disappointment at Gabriel’s injury, noting, “It’s written large on his face… he’s looking at an extended period on the sidelines.” Ian added, “He just doesn’t deserve to miss the Real Madrid game. This is the biggest game we’ve had in quite a few seasons, and he deserved to be on that pitch.”
Any hopes of solidifying Arsenal’s defense relied heavily on the partnership between Gabriel and William Saliba; their absence raises concerns about the squad’s ability to handle a formidable Real Madrid attack, including stars like Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Junior.
“Without that foundation, I think it’s going to be extremely tough,” Ian concluded.
Further complicating matters, Jurrien Timber, who managed to stay on the pitch despite sustaining a knock earlier in the game, is now uncertain for the upcoming matches. Ben White’s fitness remains questionable, and Riccardo Calafiori is also expected to miss time after sustaining an injury on international duty.
Adrian remarked, “We’re really short of defenders now and it just reduces our chances of getting through, doesn’t it?” He explained further, “Gabriel and Saliba are a fantastic combination… Most Arsenal fans would have trusted those two to handle them as best as they possibly could.”
Arteta must now consider his options for defense against an attacking Madrid side. There’s speculation on whether Calafiori can be rushed back or if White can get game time against Everton to regain fitness.
In the meantime, Arsenal’s fans remain hopeful despite the bleak outlook due to injuries. “What does Mikel Arteta do?” Ian questioned on the podcast. “I’d probably play White at centre-half and stick with Timber at right-back.”
The match against Fulham featured a mixed bag of emotions as Saka’s return energized the crowd. Arteta noted, “It was a beautiful moment to see how much our people love, respect and admire Bukayo.” However, he was keenly aware of the toll injuries were taking on his squad. “You can imagine [how I feel] with those four players in the defensive line in one week,” Arteta said, referring to the absences of Gabriel, Timber, Calafiori, and Ben White.
The manager admitted this season has been challenging, sharing, “I’ve never known a worse season for injuries. It’s what it is. We want it so much that we’re going to give it a real go and we are very excited for the next week.”
