Joao Pedro names Arsenal man as his toughest defender he has faced this season

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·11 May 2026

Joao Pedro names Arsenal man as his toughest defender he has faced this season

Chelsea forward Joao Pedro has named Arsenal defender Gabriel as the toughest opponent he has faced in the Premier League this season, despite competing against several elite defenders across domestic and European competitions.

Chelsea participated in the Champions League during the campaign, meaning Pedro regularly came up against some of the strongest defensive players in world football. Although the club endured a difficult season overall, the Brazilian attacker remained one of their standout performers and frequently impressed against high-level opposition.

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Gabriel praised after strong defensive displays

Pedro has faced numerous defenders throughout the campaign, with some managing to limit his impact while others struggled to contain him. However, the forward believes Gabriel stood out above the rest because of the Arsenal defender’s physicality, pace and overall defensive quality during their meetings this season.

The Arsenal centre back has enjoyed an outstanding campaign and continues to be regarded as one of the best defenders in European football. His partnership with William Saliba has been particularly impressive, with many considering the duo among the strongest centre-back pairings on the continent this term.

Gabriel’s performances have been a major factor behind Arsenal’s success across competitions, helping Mikel Arteta’s side remain competitive in both the Premier League and Champions League during the decisive stages of the season.

Pedro highlights Gabriel’s speed and quality

As reported by Metro Sport, Pedro praised Gabriel while also mentioning several other high-profile defenders he faced during the campaign.

“The toughest defender to play against this season? Top three: Willian Pacho and Jonathan Tah, but Gabriel Magalhaes was the toughest in my opinion.

“I was surprised by his speed, but I gave him a hard time, too! He’s been inspired this season.”

Pedro’s comments underline the growing reputation Gabriel has developed through his performances this season, particularly because of his ability to combine strength, positioning and recovery pace at the highest level.

Arsenal will hope the Brazilian defender can maintain that standard moving forward as they continue competing for major honours and attempt to finish the campaign strongly across all competitions.

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