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Gabriel talks with PSG recruitment advisor as Jurrien Timber spotted - Inside the Emirates

Gabriel reunited with a former colleague of his that aided in his journey to becoming Arsenal's key centre-half
-Credit: (Image: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)


Arsenal made a statement in the Champions League with a comfortable 2-0 win over PSG on Tuesday night. Mikel Arteta was able to pick apart his Spanish equal Luis Enrique with relative ease thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.

It moved the Gunners above the Parisiens in the league table for the new revamped version of the competition. However, it was not without its issues as Ben White continued to be absent and Jurrien Timber was removed at half-time.

As usual, football.london was in attendance for the clash at the Emirates Stadium. Therefore, in our regular edition of Inside the Emirates, we bring you the behind-the-scenes glimpses we spotted while in the depths of the ground before, during and after the game.

Jurrien Timber spotted

As mentioned, Timber was removed at half-time and replaced by Jakub Kiwior. Riccardo Calafiori was forced to occupy the right-back role as the Pole moved to the left-back position for the entirety of the second half.

“He was unbelievable in the first half but he felt something muscular and he was uncertain and I didn’t want to take any risks,” Arteta said after the game. “He’s been out for a year, he’s played a lot of minutes, probably more minutes than we wanted in the last few weeks and we have to manage him.”

While standing in the mixed zone after the game, Timber was indeed spotted moving in a comfortable way through the halls. He stopped to sign autographs and chat with Arsenal staff following the game with the feeling that hopefully he should be okay.

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Gabriel’s emotional reunion

With PSG in town, as too came many of the club’s executive figures like Nasser Al-Khelifa who came through the mixed zone. He continues in his ambitions to win the Champions League after huge amounts of investment have so far seen the French side fall short.

One person he brought in to help was footballing recruitment expert Luis Campos. The former Monaco and Lille director has been an advisor for PSG since 2022.

He was at Lille from 2017 and worked with now Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes. Both happened to come through the mixed zone at the same time and spotting one another they shared a lovely moment to catch up and it was evident how happy Campos was for the success of one of his former players at Arsenal.

PSG were linked with a move for Gabriel last year but Arsenal continued to hold firm on the Brazilian. There have been rumours contract talks are under way once again to extend the defender’s terms.

The stars were out

Fans have certainly already seen clips of MMA star Conor McGregor having a kick-about with Bukayo Saka on the Emirates pitch after full-time. He too walked past us in the mixed zone and in McGregor style was not subtle about it.

“Up the Gunners!” he shouted followed by a “Pow Pow Pow” with arms punching the air. The man has personality no one can deny that.

Idris Elba was also spotted coming through. Elba has had a strong association with the club’s No More Red campaign which typically trends around the FA Cup third round and it will be interesting to see if again the club go with their all-white strip drained of its red colour.