Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli explains how he helped fellow Brazilian Gabriel Jesus through his ACL recovery

Earlier this month, Jesus finally returned to action for the Gunners after almost a year as he came on as a substitute in the club's Champions League fixture against Club Brugge. The Brazilian forward played for the final 30 minutes of the match but looked impressive on his return. 

Following his return to competitive football, Jesus had told Arsenal.com: "In the first three months, I had a lot of doubts in my head, and then I could be more focused on what God wants from me. Everyone was expecting me to score. and obviously, I wanted to score. I had some opportunities, but even with that, I'm so happy and so pleased, because to come back and then to have some touches that I had tonight, and then the way I could move, the way I could keep the ball. So with 11 months of helping myself and then feeling scared to come back different, maybe with some limitations, just to walk outside and then play with the boys, I'm so pleased. I feel more than ready. So, I'm here to say God saved my life."

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was also pleased to welcome his star striker back, saying that the Brazilian has a "special quality".

He added, "I think he brings something else, and I was really happy to see that. Gabi has a really special quality, which is that he suddenly connects everybody around him, and that’s something that we as a team need, and it will make us better. So happy for him, I think you can see how much we all love him. It's been a very, very difficult and long journey. For 11 months he's been fighting against another very difficult injury and to see him back with that smile, with that energy and with that quality in his first performance with us is something really impressive and we're all delighted for him."

Jesus' compatriot Martinelli played a key role during the striker's ACL recovery period, with the winger drawing on his own injury experiences to help his team-mate. 

Speaking to Sky Sports, Martinelli said: "I had some things with my meniscus as well a few years ago and I know it's not easy to be out for that long. When I had the opportunity to be around him, I was there. I tried to be with him to talk because I know it's a hard time, even though he's older than me, I tried to be close to him as well. He's one of the guys that when I was so young, I watched him on the TV playing for Palmeries in Brazil. 

"It's just three years difference, but he went to the first team so quick when he was 16. I was 12 or 13 and I was watching him, so I always tell him that. "It's really good to have him back and hopefully in the next games he can score and do well."

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After being eased back into action, Jesus started up front in Arsenal's Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Crystal Palace on Tuesday. The former Manchester City man will hope for more extended game time going forward.

Incidentally, Arteta added on Jesus, "I think that's probably the biggest quality of Gabi, bringing people together, connecting with people and generating a lot of uncertainty in the opponent. When you see him, the amount of spaces that he is in involved in, that's his biggest quality. So we need to exploit that."

Jesus's future at Emirates Stadium has come under scrutiny as he has been linked with a move to Serie A giants AC Milan. Jesus, however, recently clarified his position that he wants to stay at Arsenal. In an interview with The Players' Tribune, the Selecao star said: "I feel that I have unfinished business at Arsenal. I don’t want to leave. People have asked, ‘Why don’t you just leave? Why don’t you go to Saudi? Or back home to Brazil?’ One day, I would love for everything to come full circle with Palmeiras, but not today.

"When I came here to join Mikel, my purpose was not only to score goals. My purpose was to win titles. When I came to the Premier League, I think most people’s reaction was, ‘Oh? Who is this kid?’ They looked at me as a pure goalscorer. But that’s not how I see myself."