You can take Gabriel out of the match, but you cannot take the fight out of Gabriel.
The Arsenal defender made headlines this week for all the wrong reasons after storming onto the pitch during an amateur six-a-side game in South London and confronting a player following a nasty tackle.
According to The Sun, the Brazilian centre-back was invited to watch a friendly match in Peckham on Tuesday night. The game was organised between supporters of Brazilian club Botafogo, with Gabriel's father reportedly taking part in the kickabout.
What started as a casual evening of football quickly turned ugly when a horror tackle left one player writhing in agony on the astroturf.
Gabriel loses his cool
Rather than letting the players sort it out themselves, the 27-year-old sprinted from the sidelines and confronted the offender. Footage shows Gabriel berating the player in Portuguese, gesturing wildly as tensions boiled over.
Witnesses described the scene as intense, with one onlooker telling The Sun:
"It was really unexpected. He didn't look injured when he sprinted across the pitch to get involved."
The altercation did not turn physical, but the damage was done. Both sets of players decided to call it a night and the match was abandoned.
Gabriel's injury situation
The irony of the situation will not be lost on Arsenal fans. Gabriel has been sidelined since mid-November after suffering an adductor injury during Brazil's friendly win over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta confirmed last month that the defender would be out for weeks, and he is not expected to return until early January at the earliest. The Gunners have sorely missed his aerial presence and defensive solidity during his absence.
Arsenal have dropped points in two of the four Premier League games where Gabriel and William Saliba have not started together this season. His partnership with Saliba has been one of the best in Europe, and getting him back fit is crucial for the title race.
What happens now
There is no suggestion Gabriel will face any disciplinary action from Arsenal over the incident. It was an amateur match with no official status, and the confrontation did not become violent.
But it does raise questions about the defender's temperament. Gabriel has never been shy about getting stuck in - his running battles with Erling Haaland have become legendary - but storming onto a pitch during a friendly kickabout is a different level.
For now, Gabriel will continue his rehabilitation and hope to be back in action when Arsenal face Liverpool at home on January 9. The Gunners need him fit and focused, not getting involved in six-a-side drama in Peckham.
Some things you just cannot make up.
