Arsenal FC got some good news and some bad news, depending on how you look at it, regarding their Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus today. The good news is that he’s been passed fit by the Brazilian national team, and he’s back in full training. He could feature, or maybe even start in the big match against arch-rival Argentina on Tuesday night.
And that is also the bad news, as Arsenal were hoping he would stay with the club this international break, to work with the club’s medical staff.
He has missed the last five games for Arsenal, due to a hamstring injury. The last time he featured for the Gunners was Oct. 24 versus Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League. And in addition to the hamstring problem he’s battled, Jesus has had to deal with a knee injury earlier this season.
And that knee injury was a re-aggravation of the problem that he first suffered with Brazil, back at the World Cup in Qatar last winter.
So you can see why Arsenal are so cautious and concerned here.
Brazil, who are dealing with injuries to Neymar and Vinicius Jr., really need Gabriel Jesus in their front line right now. However, they are definitely risking him to injury relapse here, as Ge Globo reports he is set to start.
This is a classic example of the very common, but also timeless international break story, of club versus country.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now, while writing for the International Baseball Writers Association of America. You can follow the website on Twitter.