Pablo Mari: Arsenal star in hospital after stabbing attack in Milan shopping centre that left another man dead

Arsenal defender Pablo Mari is in hospital following a stabbing attack that left another man dead, Sky Italy reports.

Mari, 29, was among six people attacked while shopping with his family at the Assago shopping centre in the Italian city of Milan.

He is currently on loan at Serie A side Monza.

Mari was taken to hospital after the attack, where he is understood to be conscious and not in a serious condition.

He is expected to have surgery to reduce muscle damage to his back.

The club’s chief executive Adriano Galliani was quoted by Sky Sports Italy as saying: “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.”

He said that Mari was punched in the face before being stabbed in the back but he was “saved” due to his 6ft 4in height.

Mari is recovering at the Niguarda hospital and told Galliani that he wants to be back in training on Monday.

Arsenal FC said: “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.”

A male supermarket worker in his 30s was killed in the attack, Sky Italy reported, adding that Mari and three other people were taken to hospital, and a sixth person was injured but did not need hospital treatment.

Sky Italy said that investigators have ruled out terrorism, and police have arrested a 46-year-old man with mental health problems.

It was reported that he had grabbed a knife from the supermarket shelf before launching the attack.

The supermarket chain Carrefour said that police and ambulance crews responded immediately to calls alerting them about the attack.

It expressed sympathies to employees and customers affected by the attack, adding that it was offering them psychological support.