Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has said that defender Pablo Marí “seems to be OK” after he was stabbed in an attack at a supermarket just outside of Milan on Thursday.
Marí, who is currently on loan with Serie A side Monza, was hospitalized after multiple reports said a 46-year-old man took a knife off a shelf and attacked people at random.
La Repubblica reported that six people, including Marí, were stabbed and a 30-year-old cashier was killed in the attack at the Carrefour supermarket in Milanofiori of Assago, just outside Milan.
Sky Italy reported that the suspect has been arrested.
Speaking after Arsenal’s Europa League defeat to PSV on Thursday, Arteta told reporters of Marí: “I just found out. I know that [Arsenal sporting director] Edu is in touch with his relatives. He’s in hospital but seems to be OK.”
Monza CEO Adriano Galliani said that Marí had been stabbed in the back, but would recover quickly, while also confirming reports that the cashier had died.
“Unfortunately, I received terrible news, the store cashier died,” Galliani told Italian TV station TG2. “As for Pablo Marì he had a fairly deep wound on his back, a penetrating one, which however did not touch vital organs such as lungs or others. His life is not in danger. He certainly has problems but he should recover quickly despite some injured muscles.”
Marí signed for Arsenal in 2020 and made 12 Premier League appearances before heading out on loan, first to Udinese and then to Monza.
Arsenal released a statement after the attack, saying: “We are all shocked to hear the dreadful news about the stabbing in Italy, which has put a number of people in hospital including our on-loan centre-back Pablo Marí.
“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.”
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