Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta offers Pablo Mari update as defender in hospital after stabbing | Football | Sport
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has given an update on Pablo Mari’s condition after the club confirmed the defender had been stabbed in Italy on Thursday. The Spaniard has been taken to hospital following an incident in Milan where a man reportedly injured six people in a stabbing, killing one, with Mari one of the people involved in the incident near a shopping mall.
Arsenal centre-back Mari, currently on a season-long loan with Serie A outfit AC Monza, was one of several people injured after a man grabbed a knife from a supermarket shelf and started stabbing people.
Six people are reported to have been stabbed, with five taken to hospital and one man in his 30s dying as a result of the attack, according to Sky News. Sky Italy report that investigators have ruled out terrorism and police have arrested a 46-year-old man.
The alleged attacks took place in the Carrefour supermarket in the centre of Milanofiori of Assago, just outside Milan.
In his post-match press conference following Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to PSV Eindhoven, Arteta revealed he had only just discovered moments before what had happened and provided an update on Mari’s condition.
“I just found out [about Mari],” Arteta said. “I know [technical director] Edu has been in touch with his relatives. He’s in hospital but he seems to be okay.”
Arsenal had earlier told Express Sport: “We understand he’s in hospital and OK but know no more than that at this time.”
In a statement released later on Thursday, the club said: “We have been in contact with Pablo’s agent who has told us he’s in hospital and is not seriously hurt. Our thoughts are with Pablo and the other victims of this dreadful incident.”
Monza club officials are set to visit Mari in hospital later this evening, and the club’s CEO Adriano Galliani said: “Pablo Mari had a fairly deep wound on his back, which fortunately did not touch vital organs such as the lungs or other. His life is not in danger, he should recover quickly.”
The 29-year-old, who joined Arsenal on an initial loan in January 2020 from Flamengo before sealing a permanent switch in the summer, has made 19 appearances in total since joining the Gunners.
He spent the second half of the 2021-22 season on loan with Udinese in the Serie A where he scored twice in 15 outings for the Italian side.
And he opted to head back to Italy for the current campaign with newly-promoted Monza, playing a key role in their debut campaign in the top-flight, making eight appearances so far.
