It’s an agonising time for the centre-back to have suffered a serious injury, missing out on Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid.

Mikel Arteta admitted Gabriel could miss the start of next season due to the blow to his hamstring however, the 27-year-old has already taken a huge step forward on his road to recovery.

Gabriel’s partnership with William Saliba makes him one of Arteta’s most important players, leaving big shoes to fill for the remainder of the campaign.

Fortunately, the Brazil international is on the right path, as his wife shared on Instagram, posting a photo of the defender in a hospital bed.

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Posed in a hospital gown with a glowing smile on his face, Gabriel took the first step to becoming match fit, undergoing surgery to repair his hamstring.

There are tough times to come for the 2020 signing, who will undergo a rehabilitation programme similar to Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, who were both summoned to have surgery on the same injury.

It’s a dire shame to miss Gabriel for the remainder of the campaign and pre-season, with a 2025/26 return pencilled in for Arteta’s prized defender.