Chelsea’s bright opening at the Emirates Stadium almost became even more positive when Gabriel was reviewed for a possible early red card after appearing to catch Emiliano Martínez in the face with his boot, although the Arsenal defender ultimately escaped any punishment.
After Morgan Rogers put Chelsea ahead just 77 seconds into the match, a Martin Ødegaard free-kick created further danger inside the visitors’ penalty area only a few minutes later.
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During the ensuing scramble, Arsenal centre-back Gabriel swung his leg and appeared to catch Martínez directly in the face. The lack of any punishment left many supporters confused by the referee’s decision.
Sky Sports reported that VAR reviewed the incident before the game continued without any disciplinary action, with the contact ultimately deemed to have been accidental.
The decision comes down to Law 12, with violent conduct applying when a player uses excessive force against an opponent when there is no challenge for the ball.
📸 – GABRIEL KICKS MARTINEZ IN THE FACE, HE'S DOWN! pic.twitter.com/wg4hhI1FeJ
— Low Res Replays (@LowResReplays) September 6, 2026
If Gabriel was considered to be attempting to play the ball, that particular offence would therefore not apply.
Serious foul play, meanwhile, relates to challenges for the ball where excessive force is used or an opponent’s safety is endangered.
However, the key factor is whether the challenge was reckless rather than simply how severe the resulting contact appeared.
VAR is only permitted to overturn a decision in the event of a clear and obvious error. In a crowded set-piece situation where a boot, ball and head can all meet within a fraction of a second, that threshold can be difficult to reach.
Gary Neville addressed the uncertainty surrounding the incident on Sky Sports, saying: “He just missed it and after that it was an almighty scramble. It is not great from Gabriel and only he would know…”
Considering Gabriel’s reputation for bringing an element of chaos to set-pieces, Arsenal supporters were hardly surprised by the latest controversy surrounding the defender.
The Arsenal centre-back was named in the 2025/26 Team of the Year after an outstanding campaign with the Gunners, helping them secure their first league title in more than two decades.
However, controversy has remained a regular feature of his performances.
One of the most notable incidents came against Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
The pair have repeatedly clashed during some of the biggest matches in recent seasons as the rivalry between their clubs has intensified, with Gabriel also fortunate to avoid punishment for a headbutt-like movement towards the Norwegian.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also discussed Gabriel during the latest episode of The Overlap.
Carragher described him as a ‘brilliant player’ but insisted he needs to ‘get off the floor’, referring to what he viewed as his tendency to go down theatrically in both penalty areas.
Following the incident involving Martínez, supporters were quick to highlight Gabriel’s previous controversies. One fan wrote: “Why wasn’t Gabriel booked for this? Arsenal always get away with it”.
For all his achievements, Gabriel’s aggressive approach remains both an advantage and a potential weakness.
Nevertheless, his performances continue to underline why he is regarded as one of the Premier League’s strongest defenders in his position.
