Gabriel’s response to Hurzeler: "We don’t really care about what he says"
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 06.03.26. | 23:48
The Brazilian did not hold back in his response to the Brighton coach, who heavily criticized the Arsenal team after their clash
Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes has brushed aside sharp criticism from Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler following the Gunners’ tight 1-0 victory at the Amex Stadium. With the Premier League title battle intensifying, the Brazilian defender made it clear that Mikel Arteta’s team are not bothered by outside complaints about their match management or accusations of time-wasting.
Arsenal strengthened their grip at the top of the table, moving seven points clear after grinding out a controversial win on the South Coast. Bukayo Saka’s early strike in the ninth minute proved decisive, but much of the conversation after the match centered on Arsenal’s calculated approach to controlling the game.
Data later showed the visitors used more than half an hour of the match for restarts, with each dead-ball situation taking an average of 31.4 seconds. The approach disrupted Brighton’s rhythm effectively, as the hosts managed 11 attempts on goal but lacked the cutting edge needed to trouble the league leaders.
Emotions ran high on the sidelines throughout the contest, and Hurzeler did not hold back in his post-match assessment. The Brighton coach argued that "only one team tried to play football," accusing Arsenal of bending the rules to their advantage in a way he felt compromised the spirit of the game. His frustration grew even further after Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest, a result that highlighted the importance of Arsenal’s victory in the title race.
"I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way," Hurzeler fumed. "If the referee allows everything, then the players are effectively making their own rules. Did you see a Premier League game where a goalkeeper went down three times?"
Gabriel, however, quickly responded after the match, emphasizing that decisions about the pace of the game ultimately belong to the referee. He insisted Arsenal would not lose focus because of criticism from opponents while pursuing their first league crown in more than two decades.
"We don’t really care about what he says," Gabriel told ESPN Brasil. "That is for the referee to decide on the pitch. If he wants to give a yellow card or not, he decides the time we take. We just have to do things the way we are doing and keep going."
The defender added that the victory gives Arsenal extra momentum in their push for the title, though he warned his teammates not to get carried away. The Brazilian concluded: "We need to focus on ourselves and keep doing what we're doing. Now it’s three wins in a row, and of course we have to keep winning. That’s the most important thing."