Arsenal defender Pablo Mari opens up on traumatic stabbing in Millan

"I was lucky."

Arsenal defender Pablo Mari opens up on his traumatic stabbing in Millan, where he and five others were attacked in a supermarket. Mari, who is currently on loan to newly promoted Monza, had his son with him in a shopping trolley when he was attacked. It has been reported that one victim has died. "Today I was lucky, because I saw a person die in front of me," Mari, on loan at Monza, told Italian media. Italian outlet Corriere della Sera reported that former Napoli player Massimo Tarantino was among those who immobilised and disarmed the attacker before police arrived. "I'm not a hero. I didn't do anything special," 51-year-old Tarantino is quoted by the paper as saying. Mari's injuries are not life threatening, but he will have to undergo surgery on damaged muscles. https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1585889284388782080

"Pablo is an amazing guy," said Monza president Adriano Galliani, who visited Mari along with the Serie A side's head coach Raffaele Palladino, told Gazzetta.

"He had the strength to joke and tell me that he will be back in training on Monday. I brought him greetings from [club president Silvio] Berlusconi and everyone else.

"His team-mates wanted to come here but obviously it was not possible."

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Speaking after his side's Europa League defeat by PSV Eindhoven on Thursday, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said: "I just found out. I know Edu [Arsenal technical director] has been in touch with [Mari's] relatives. He's in hospital but he seems to be okay."

Arsenal issued a club statement on Thursday night: "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 Mari.

"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."