Chelsea nearly doubled their early advantage against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, September 6, 2026. Instead, the match produced another talking point after Gabriel Magalhaes made contact with Emiliano Martinez inside the Chelsea penalty area.
The incident happened only minutes after Morgan Rogers opened the scoring in the 77th second. During a chaotic free-kick situation, Gabriel swung his leg toward the ball and ended up making contact with Martinez’s face.
Given the location of the contact and the apparent danger involved, some supporters immediately questioned why the Arsenal defender was not shown a red card.
VAR reviewed the incident, but play continued without a disciplinary sanction.
The explanation largely comes down to how the incident was interpreted under Law 12 of the Laws of the Game.
What Happened Between Gabriel and Emi Martinez?
The incident occurred following a free kick taken by Martin Odegaard.
The delivery created a crowded situation inside Chelsea’s penalty area, with several players attempting to reach the ball. Gabriel moved to challenge for possession, but his attempt resulted in his foot making contact with Martinez’s face.
The goalkeeper went to ground following the collision, while players around him reacted to the incident.
It was an uncomfortable moment because contact with a player’s head can quickly raise questions about whether a sending-off offence has occurred.
VAR subsequently checked the situation.
However, the review did not result in a recommendation for the referee to change the original decision. According to Sky Sports, the contact was considered accidental rather than an intentional act by Gabriel.
That distinction was important when determining whether the incident met the threshold for a red card.
Why Was Gabriel Not Sent Off?
The key issue was whether Gabriel’s action could be classified as violent conduct or serious foul play.
Under Law 12, violent conduct applies when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force against an opponent when the ball is not being contested.
In Gabriel’s case, the situation was different because he was attempting to play the ball.
Serious foul play can apply when a player challenges for the ball with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent.
However, the decision is not simply based on the severity of the resulting contact.
Instead, officials have to assess the nature of the action itself.
In this situation, the important factors included:
- Gabriel was attempting to play the ball.
- The contact with Martinez was considered accidental.
- The incident happened during a crowded penalty-area situation.
- The ball, Gabriel’s leg and Martinez’s head arrived in the same area almost simultaneously.
- VAR must identify a clear and obvious error before recommending intervention.
Those factors made it difficult to reach the threshold required for a red card.
VAR Had a Difficult Decision to Make
VAR does not automatically intervene whenever there is potentially dangerous contact.
Its role is to identify clear and obvious errors in decisions involving specific incidents, including potential red cards.
That standard is particularly important in situations where the referee’s original interpretation is reasonably defensible.
The Gabriel and Martinez incident was complicated because of the speed and congestion around the ball.
When several players are challenging for possession in a small area, determining exactly what a player intended can be difficult.
The fact that Martinez was struck does not, by itself, mean Gabriel should automatically have been sent off.
Officials instead had to consider whether Gabriel’s action was reckless, involved excessive force or endangered his opponent in a way that met the serious foul play threshold.
The VAR review ultimately determined that the incident did not justify changing the on-field decision.
Gary Neville Gives His Verdict
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville also discussed the incident on Sky Sports.
Neville acknowledged that Gabriel failed to make contact with the ball but highlighted how chaotic the sequence was.
His assessment was that Gabriel did not produce a good action, while the circumstances surrounding the challenge made the situation difficult to judge.
That interpretation reflects the wider debate surrounding the incident.
The contact looked serious because Martinez was hit in the face. However, the appearance of the collision was only one part of the decision-making process.
The officials also had to consider the context of the challenge and whether Gabriel deliberately or recklessly endangered Martinez.
Gabriel’s Reputation Adds to the Debate
The Arsenal centre-back has already developed a reputation for being involved in intense confrontations during major matches.
Gabriel was named in the Team of the Year for the 2025/26 season after an impressive campaign with Arsenal. The previous season also ended with the club winning their first major trophy in more than two decades.
Despite his strong performances, the defender has occasionally found himself at the centre of controversial moments.
One of the most discussed examples involved his battles with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Gabriel and Haaland have regularly competed in physical duels during important Premier League matches. The Arsenal defender was also criticised for an incident involving a movement that appeared similar to a headbutt.
That history has contributed to the strong reactions whenever Gabriel becomes involved in another contentious moment.
Supporters Question the Decision
The latest incident quickly attracted attention from football supporters.
Some fans believed Gabriel should at least have received a yellow card for the contact with Martinez.
GiveMeSport highlighted one reaction from a supporter questioning why the Arsenal defender escaped punishment.
Such reactions show why the incident became controversial despite the VAR review.
For some viewers, the fact that a boot made contact with a goalkeeper’s face was enough to make the challenge look worthy of disciplinary action.
However, the laws require officials to assess the circumstances rather than simply punish the outcome of a collision.
Why the Decision Remains Controversial
The Gabriel and Martinez incident demonstrates how difficult VAR decisions can become when the laws involve both intent and the nature of a challenge.
A player making contact with an opponent’s head can look alarming. Yet that does not automatically constitute a red-card offence.
In this case, the officials determined that Gabriel was attempting to play the ball and that the contact with Martinez was accidental.
The VAR review therefore did not find a clear and obvious error that justified intervention.
Whether supporters agree with the decision is another matter.
The incident is likely to remain a talking point because it sits in the grey area between an unfortunate collision and potentially dangerous play.
For Arsenal, the focus will now turn back to the match itself. For Gabriel, meanwhile, the episode adds another chapter to his growing reputation as one of the Premier League’s most combative defenders.
ALSO READ :
