Arteta 'worried' after Gabriel injures hamstring 1 week before Madrid clash

Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes was forced off with a right hamstring injury early in the 2-1 win over Fulham in the Premier League on Tuesday, throwing into doubt his availability for next week’s Champions League meeting with Real Madrid.

The Brazil center back pulled up while running back toward his goal as Fulham launched a counterattack. When play eventually stopped, he dropped to the ground and shook his head in a signal that he needed to be replaced.

Gabriel eventually came off in the 16th minute, replaced by Jakub Kiwior.

“We are worried,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, “because he never wants to come off. He’s not sure about how big it is and what it is exactly.”

Arsenal has a two-legged quarterfinal meeting with Madrid this month. The first leg is at Emirates Stadium on April 8.

Asked if Gabriel was a doubt for that game, Arteta said: “Difficult, but let’s see.”

Arteta was already without injured defenders Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White, while the Arsenal manager said right back Jurrien Timber struggled during the Fulham match with an issue he had on Monday but “did a big effort to try and play.”

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