Ex-refs chief: Gabriel Magalhaes is too mouthy and ‘at risk’ of punishment after what he did vs Man City
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Credit: Imago
Harri Burton
Mon 22 September 2025 11:50, UK
Gabriel Magalhaes may not be the finest choice for Mikel Arteta’s captain despite the Arsenal star avoiding punishment against Man City.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that the defender “overstepped the mark” while filling in for the injured Martin Odegaard.
Bernardo Silva and Leandro Trossard both avoided cautions after an altercation on the pitch, one which could have been detrimental for Man City and Pep Guardiola, with their player already on a booking.
Referee Stuart Attwell was praised for his officiating, having kept his cards in his pocket for much of the game, but with a different official, the Gunners may not have been so lucky.
While Gabriel is very much a leading figure for Arteta’s team, he has not been used to wearing the captain’s armband over the last couple of seasons, with Odegaard trusted with that role.
However, Odegaard had joined Bukayo Saka on the sidelines recently, leaving Arteta with the task of filling his spot on the pitch, and he needed someone to take over his duties with the armband.
Although the new rule for 2025-26 states that only captains are allowed to speak to referees, which appears to have already been undermined, the Brazil international did not hold back on multiple occasions.
Credit: Imago
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Had Hackett been officiating the game, there is every chance that Gabriel would not have left the pitch without being handed a caution during the 1-1 draw on Sunday, 21 September.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: “I thought the referee, Stuart Attwell, had a really good game.
The only problem was that the captain [Gabriel] overstepped the mark.
“He was too vociferous.
Arsenal’s Arteta needs to have a word with his captain, to say, ‘Come off the pace a bit’. As captain, having a link with the referee to communicate is fine, but the referee also has the power to issue a yellow card if he oversteps the mark.
“He’s potentially at risk in the future, despite the knowledge that he can talk to the referee, that his over-the-top attitude can get him in trouble.”
“The PGMOL might need to do more work with the captains.
That could be a series of visits, so that there is more clarity over when they can communicate with referees.”