Arsenal defender, Pablo Mari’s partner has described her horror after she and her son saw him stabbed in a supermarket bloodbath that left one worker dead with four others injured.
The incident took place in a Carrefour in the Milanofiori di Assago shopping centre at around 6.30pm, in the town of Assago outside Milan.
Speaking to Spanish radio station Cadena Cope on Thursday night, Mari’s father said that he first found out about the incident at 8pm and his son had told them he was ‘fine’ and that he ‘loved them very much.’
He added: ‘I didn’t know anything. I wasn’t watching TV or anything and family members started calling over and over… and my heart nearly failed.’
Mari’s father then revealed that his son’s partner, Veronica, had told him that his son was involved, but hadn’t been able to explain what happened.
He said: ‘She just told us they were taking him to the hospital and nothing more. After she said don’t call Pablo, he is by her side and she said he’s feeling well, it was all just a fright and not much more… and she saw someone die in front of her.’
Mari was walking with his wife Veronica and their little son in the supermarket when the attack occurred, according to Riformista.The 29-year-old Spaniard, who is currently on loan playing for Italian football club Monza, was one of six people attacked near Milan.
Four men, aged 28, 30, 40 and 80, were reportedly left in serious condition in the attack, with a cashier rushed to a hospital in Rozzano.
One of the victims – reported to be a 30-year-old – has since passed away. Two elderly women are said to be in a less serious condition, while Mari was airlifted to Niguarda Hospital and is conscious.
He has received visits from the managing director of Monza, Adriano Galliani, and coach Raffaele Palladino.
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,’ Galliani added.
Sources at Arsenal earlier told MailOnline Mari’s agent had described the wound as being a superficial leg injury.
A 46-year-old man is believed to have picked up a knife from the shelves in the supermarket and then started randomly stabbing people. He has been arrested and taken into police custody.
The motive for the attacks was unknown. Italian authorities said there were no elements to suggest terrorism, LaPresse reported.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, confirmed the club’s technical director Edu Gaspar had been in contact with Mari’s relatives.
Speaking after Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat at PSV Eindhoven, he said: ‘I just found out, I know Edu has been in touch with his family… he’s in hospital, he seems to be ok. Hopefully he’s ok.’
A statement on Arsenal’s website read: ‘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 Monza statement read: ‘Pablo Mari has quite a deep cut to his back, but fortunately it did not reach any vital organs like the lungs or anything else.
‘His life is not in danger, he should recover quickly. He has some lesions, but not very serious. He is conscious and getting stitches.’
Monza’s president Galliani released a statement via the club’s official Twitter account which read: ‘Dear Pablo, we are all here close to you and your family, we love you, keep fighting as you know how to do, you are a warrior and you will get well soon.’