Joao Pedro says he was shocked when he realised how fast £27m Arsenal player actually is

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Arsenal have received plenty of praise for their defensive performances this season.

The Gunners have been excellent defensively this term, and that has contributed massively to their rise to the top of the Premier League table.

Speaking to TNT Sports in Brazil, Joao Pedro has reserved some special praise for one Arsenal defender in particular.

Joao Pedro has faced plenty of top defenders this season, but the Brighton forward has now singled out Gabriel Magalhaes as one of the best he has come up against.

Joao Pedro praises Gabriel Magalhaes

Pedro named Gabriel as one of the best defenders he has faced this season.

The Brazilian striker admitted he was particularly surprised by one aspect of Gabriel’s game – his pace.

“Man, Magalhaes, I’m surprised by his speed, but I gave him trouble. Yeah. I think Magalhaes is inspired this season,” Pedro said.

Pedro is one of the quickest and most difficult forwards to handle in the Premier League. He is direct, sharp in transition, and capable of pulling defenders into uncomfortable areas. For him to specifically highlight Gabriel’s speed shows just how complete the Arsenal defender has become.

Gabriel is often recognised for his strength, aggression and dominance in the air, but pace is not always the first thing associated with his game. Pedro’s comments suggest that opponents are now realising there is far more to him than just physicality.

Gabriel has arguably been playing the best football of his Arsenal career. He has looked more composed in possession, more confident defending large spaces, and increasingly comfortable leading Arsenal’s back line in high-pressure moments.

Very few defenders completely shut down attackers of his quality over 90 minutes. However, the fact Gabriel still stood out despite that battle reflects the level he is currently operating at.

How fast is Gabriel Magalhaes?

Pedro’s comments become even more interesting when looking at the actual speed numbers behind Gabriel’s performances this season.

The Arsenal defender has reached a top speed of 32.15 km/h in the Champions League, an impressive figure for a centre-back of his size and style.

That pace is a major reason why Arsenal are able to play such an aggressive defensive line under Mikel Arteta.

Gabriel can recover quickly in transition, track runners over distance, and defend one-versus-one situations without needing to constantly drop deep. It gives Arsenal far more confidence to push forward and control territory higher up the pitch.

Interestingly, Pedro has actually recorded an even higher top speed this season at 33.17 km/h.

That makes his comments even more revealing because he knows exactly what pace feels like at Premier League level. For someone with that speed to be surprised by Gabriel’s recovery ability highlights just how athletic the Arsenal defender really is.

Gabriel has developed into far more than just a traditional centre-back, and Pedro’s comments underline why he is now regarded as one of the Premier League’s elite defenders.