It seems Arsenal's international break curse strikes again as star forward Gabriel Martinelli has picked up a calf issue while on duty with Brazil.
Just as Gunners fans were getting used to seeing Gabi back in form, he’s now a doubt for the upcoming Premier League clash against Bournemouth.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed the injury, saying: “Gabriel Martinelli complained of pain in his right calf and underwent an MRI on Sunday night, which showed a small area of muscle edema in the area."
While it doesn't sound too serious, the news is still enough to make Arsenal fans sweat.
After all, it’s not the first time this season the Gunners have been hit with injury concerns from international duty.
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Martinelli’s injury comes at a tough time for Arsenal, with the club already dealing with knocks to Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and a host of other key players.
Saka returned early from the England camp after limping off in their defeat to Greece, adding to the growing list of players under treatment at London Colney.
Mikel Arteta’s side has had an impressive start to the season, but injuries could be a real stumbling block.
Losing a player like Martinelli, who’s just started finding his groove with two goals and two assists in his last five Arsenal games, could be a real blow. And just when things were starting to look bright again!
Former Premier League striker Darren Bent, though, remains optimistic about Gabi’s form.
“Confidence is the biggest thing in football,” Bent shared with talkSPORT. “You can see the confidence coming back with him. By Christmas, I reckon he’ll be flying again.”
But for now, Gunners fans will be holding their breath, hoping this is nothing more than a minor bump in the road for Martinelli.
