Arsenal star Gabriel fights off masked thugs in horrific baseball bat attack

Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhaes was forced to fight off masked thugs in a horrific baseball bat attack.

CCTV footage played in court last week shows the 23-year-old footballer defending himself against the muggers after parking his £45,000 Mercedes at his home in Barnet, north London.

The incident, which took place in August, has led to one of the robbers, Abderaham Muse, being jailed for five years.

According to the Daily Mail, police linked Muse, 26, to the robbery through DNA from his hat, which fell off during a scuffle after he lunged at the Arsenal ace.

Defender Gabriel and a friend, Rodrigo Tavares, were followed to his home in London by the robbers, who then demanded his car, keys, mobile phone and watch.

Footage shows a man approaching Gabriel with a bat. The Brazilian puts his hands in the air and hands over a watch from his pocket.

However, the attacker then lunges at the defender, who strikes him in the face and wrestles with him.

Muse was able to wriggle free and run off without the car but has been convicted of one count of robbery and one count of possession of an offensive weapon.

Muse was out on licence when the incident happened after a string of previous convictions, including possession of heroin with intent to supply.

The other attacker and a third member of the gang, who was holding the victim's electronic gates open, were not caught by police.

"No injuries were suffered but a great deal of shock was caused," prosecutor Martin Lewis told Harrow Crown Court. "They happened to pick on two victims who were very fit and able to look after themselves."

Judge Anupama Thompson said the attackers targeted the vehicle because they believed the driver would be wealthy, unaware of his identity.

"While you didn't specifically target the victim on account of him being a well-known footballer, there was a realisation this person was wealthy and worthy of robbing," the judge told Muse.

"You saw a nice car and a nice house and thought it was rich pickings. Fortunately, thanks to the brave actions of the people you targeted, no further damage was done.

"You have an appalling record for a man of 26. This was an horrific and frightening attack on a group of people who were simply coming home from a night out."

The incident is not the first time Arsenal players have been attacked. In July 2019, two armed men tried to rob Sead Kolasinac and then team-mate Mesut Ozil.

"Mesut had visited me," said Kolasinac when recalling the attack in November 2019. "I came out and stood next to his car. Suddenly a scooter driver stops next to us.

"You do not think about it, although I've heard many stories about it. Why should it happen to you?

"Suddenly the robber stands beside you and pulls an object out of his pocket. 'Okay', I thought, 'now it's my turn'. But I stayed calm and tried to fight back.

"It was definitely a dangerous situation. We are glad that nothing happened to us. That's the most important thing. And that's why it should be forgotten and it's over."