Gabriel has withdrawn from the Brazil squad after feeling pain in his right knee following Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final defeat, adding another fitness concern for Mikel Arteta at the start of the international break.
Arsenal’s international-break picture has become more complicated again, with Gabriel and Trossard both now ruled out of their countries’ upcoming fixtures. Gabriel has withdrawn from the Brazil squad after complaining of pain in his right knee following Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final defeat, while Belgium have confirmed that Trossard will also miss their trip to the United States because of injury.
Brazil made Gabriel’s situation clear in an official statement after Sunday’s final. “Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães is out of the friendlies against France and Croatia,” it said. “After the match this Sunday (22) against Manchester City in the English League Cup final, the player complained of pain in his right knee. Imaging tests confirmed that Gabriel Magalhães is not fit for the matches in this FIFA international window. No other player will be called up to replace him.”
That update gives Arsenal another defensive concern to monitor. Gabriel played the full 90 minutes at Wembley, but the Brazil statement suggests it could be more than a precautionary rest.
Trossard’s withdrawal was confirmed by Belgium in a much shorter squad update. “Due to injury, Leandro Trossard and Hans Vanaken will miss the squad’s trip to the United States. Wishing both players a swift recovery!” the federation said. Belgium are due to face the United States and Mexico in friendlies, but Trossard will now remain behind instead.
From an Arsenal perspective, the significance is that Gabriel and Trossard now join a wider group of first-team players who have already withdrawn. England confirmed that Eberechi Eze had pulled out with a calf injury and been replaced by Harvey Barnes, while Saliba had left the France squad because of a recurring left ankle injury and would need treatment and at least 10 days of rest. Timber has also withdrawn from the Netherlands squad after missing the Carabao Cup final.
That means Arsenal have now seen five senior players pull out of international duty in the space of a few days. With Martin Odegaard also not selected by Norway due to injury.
There is, however, one obvious positive from the club’s point of view. Arsenal’s schedule has been heavy for months, and the players who have withdrawn will at least avoid extra minutes, long-haul travel and another layer of physical load during the break. That doesn't necessarily make the injuries good news, but it does give Arteta’s staff a chance to focus on rest, treatment and recovery at a stage of the season when freshness matters almost as much as depth.