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The Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel has determined that the decision to not issue Gabriel a red card for making contact with Emiliano Martínez's face during Arsenal's victory over Chelsea in early September was the correct one, concluding that the incident did not constitute violent conduct.
The incident took place within the first five minutes of the match when Martin Ødegaard whipped in a tempting set piece from the right flank that Riccardo Calafiori directed toward goal, leading to a frantic scramble.
Several players from both sides tumbled and became entangled on the ground following Calafiori's blocked effort. A frenzied scramble broke out in the penalty area, with players desperately attempting to clear the ball, force it goalward, locate it, or in Martínez's case, secure it with his hands.
Amid the mayhem, Gabriel swung his boot at the ball but inadvertently caught Martínez near the eye. Chelsea players immediately protested the errant kick and demanded a red card, with the goalkeeper requiring medical treatment. Despite this, neither referee Chris Kavanagh nor the VAR official on duty considered the Brazilian's action to be deserving of any disciplinary action.
Chelsea had been ahead at the time, but Arsenal managed to turn the match around and claim a 2–1 win over their London rivals in one of the standout fixtures of the 2026–27 Premier League season.
The Explanation for No Red Card
The Premier League KMI Panel—made up of five independent members who assess notable refereeing decisions from every match—reached a unanimous verdict that the choice not to dismiss Gabriel for the kick was justified.
"The panel unanimously supported the referee's call of no red card," the panel's ruling stated. "Multiple players were on the ground competing and challenging for the loose ball, and the action of Gabriel was not deemed to be an act of violent conduct or serious foul play."
The Football Association defines violent conduct as occurring "when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, or against a teammate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made."
In this case, Gabriel was attempting to poke the loose ball toward the net during a chaotic sequence of play, and while he missed the ball and accidentally struck the goalkeeper in the face, the referee, VAR, and KMI Panel all concurred that it was not a deliberate use of excessive force or brutality against an opponent.
Former Premier League referee Graham Scott, speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic, also backed the decision not to penalize Gabriel, noting that match officials are "asked to be more tolerant when players are desperately trying to score or defend their goal."
Ultimately, as contentious as the ruling may appear—particularly given how the match played out afterward—there is a broad consensus that the incident was judged correctly.