Gabriel Martinelli’s participation in Tuesday’s Champions League showdown with Porto looks to be in doubt with reports surfacing that the player was using crutches today while watching Arsenal’s win over Brentford.
The Brazil international limped out of Monday’s 6-0 hammering of Sheffield United after suffering “just a cut” on his foot but despite an optimistic assessment by Mikel Arteta on Thursday, the winger was unavailable today.
While there’s no suggestion Martinelli has suffered a metatarsal injury, which would likely require weeks on the sidelines, it seems the issue is more serious than first thought. Given we play again in three days, he’s facing a race against time to be fit.
Gabriel Martinelli just walked through the mixed zone on crutches
— Tom Canton (@TomCantonMedia) March 9, 2024
Arsenal will have to come from behind on Tuesday having lost the first-leg in Porto in stoppage time.
The last time the Gunners qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals was in 2010, before Arteta joined the club as a player.
After today’s 2-1 win over Brentford, he called on supporters to create a special atmosphere.
“This stadium is going to have the energy that you have never seen in your life, because we haven’t done it for 14 years,” the Spaniard said in his post-game press conference.
“Bring your noise, bring your energy, your passion into that stadium and something beautiful is going to happen.”
Arteta almost laughed it off post match!?! How bad is ‘just a cut’!?
Or was it pre match!!!
Seems like a bad cut. If he’s on crutches for it, it probably means he had to have stitches and he’s not playing until those come out and the wound is fully healed. That’s two weeks minimum.
Given how Arteta is with these issues I’d not be surprised if Arteta has set this up, and Martinelli is just a bit bruised.
“Hey Gabbi take these crutches and just casually walk through the journalists, that will confuse them”
The fact that this is a legitimate possibility confirms Arteta as a master mind game manipulator. They will still have to plan for Martinelli.
I had my doubts it was such a light injury at the time as Arteta often plays the disinformation game with injuries, but then by the same logic he wouldn’t have Martinelli openly walk around on crutches. Hmmm.
We can beat Porto without him but I would love him to be back for the Man City game.
Mmmm not so good news but Jesus must be ready to start LW, kai in middle .
Shame for Gabi but if it takes him out of firing line , he could be all the better for it and come back fresher, hopefully have a look at his game to just add a little bit of unpredictability to it .
Up to Jesus to nail the place on now, leo was sound today but just that zip Jesus has to his game would give him the nod for me and should draw a booking or two out of pepe.
I’ve thought a lot about the Porto game and how we should set up. They really challenge you in with and without the ball because they have the stingiest defense (by far) in Portugal. They’ve conceded only 17 goals. Lately they’ve started to score a lot too, and just hammered Benfica 5-0 (Benfica is second, one place ahed of them in the table). Galeno and Pepe (the #11, not the defender) are real threats in front of goal, as is Evanilson, and they have genuine quality on the flanks with Francisco Conceicao and Galeno. Either of those guys can give… Read more »
Feels like Martinelli might find himself starting on the bench for this one even if he’s fit considering the “game state” and nature of the opponent. Though it’s a real debate, given what you say about Porto’s wingers, which Martinelli’s tracking and work rate could really help with too.
Definitely a good chance for Jesus to start and bring Trossard in off of the bench, he seems to be more impactful that way instead of playing on the left wing (as a starter he’s better as a withdrawn striker) as we do better with a more direct threat on the left wing which we miss so much when Martinelli is out.
I do not vehemently disagree, but why is Gabi “in the firing line”?
He has been invaluable as of late, with his goal contributions last month including against Liverpool, as well as how he knits our attacking play together.
He is our best option on the left wing.
I really hope he is fit for Porto, but if not, I fully expect him to contribute again after the Interlull when we beat City.
He spoke himself of missing chances and not being selfish enough , he was well zoned out of the game v Porto , so that’s what I mean, let him refresh its alot of pressure for one so young
Jesus arriving at the back post with Whites accurate crossing… Nice to have options!
I wasn’t buying the “just a cut” line. Arteta just loves to keep the opponents guessing. The way Martinelli was helped off the field and especially him sitting down as they entered the tunnel, you could tell something terrible was going on around that ankle
What if Arteta puts him on crouches today only to start him on Tuesday Porto won’t plan for him. With Arteta, you never know 😛
No. Gabi was in so much pain from that cut, and a foot is a very complicated and vulnerable place to get a cut. So many nerves and tendons and things near the surface. I was worried about it, and I don’t want to see Gabi playing until it’s completely, properly healed. We have Gabi Jesus who can get stuck in and give Porto something to think about. Mikel with his “’tis but a scratch” medical updates!
It is better to let him miss the Porto game donhe can recover well for Man City.
He should also ve excused from the March International games as well.
He could be our joker afaibdt City like the last time out.
For the city game , a fully fit Jesus on the left to pin walker back be ideal in my mind .
Let kai play the middle , for the Porto game I’d be inclined to start zincky LB but maybe Kiwior for the city game , tommy be my top pick for city but don’t think he be game sharp after so long out.
Interesting when we chasing a game like today MA still.didnt bring on Edward, went for reiss instead
He’s a big miss. Nobody else in the squad does what he does. He’s a selfless runner out of possession with real first step quickness, a 1 v 1 threat and a goal threat on either foot, a demon in the press, and tirelss in tracking back. Jesus comes closest but he doesn’t have Martinelli’s burst or engine in that same way. Eddie is the second closest but he doesn’t have Martinelli’s relentless work ethic or spatial awareness in the press, nor does he have the 1 v1 threat. Get well Gabi, we’re not the same without you.
I’m not too bothered by Martinelli missing this CL game.
I don’t rate Porto and I think we’ll sweep them away on Tuesday. We showed them far too much respect in the first leg and could have won if we really went for it.
In a way being 1-0 down is good: we will have to start quickly and go in hard. They will crumble after the first two goals go in.
Hopefully, Martinelli will be fit for the big one at the end of the month. His pace will really trouble City.
I hope you’re right Fats, I think Porto are fucking horrible. I’m hoping for a strong referee and a vociferous home crowd, it’s not going to be easy.
What is our record when Fats is over confident?
To date no records exist 😜
Sad to say, but whether we go through on Tuesday or not depends on whether Porto gets away with flopping about and feigning injury as they did in the first leg. If the ref is as bad this time we’ll have our work cut out. During today’s match, I got the distinct impression that the Brentford players had watched us against Porto and tried some of the same tactics, only to a lesser extent. We’re a better side than Porto, but that guarantees nothing when VAR and bad refs are concerned.
Didn’t know we needed to have a mixed zone, where is it?
Between the real world and the football world
We will be fine without him for the Porto match then it is a few weeks until the next premiership fixture. That will be plenty of time.
Hopefully he’s better soon. We should be able to beat Porto without him, but he’d be a big miss for anything else.
His directness and speed aren’t available anywhere else. If that long throw in the first half from Ramsdale had been to Gabi instead of Trossard, he’d have been in.
Let’s make the Emirates a Cauldron. COYG!!!