Arsenal star Pablo Mari has returned to Monza for the first time since he was stabbed in a terrifying incident at a supermarket in Milan last month.
Mari was punched in the face before being stabbed in the back during the attack at a Carrefour just 10 days ago. He was airlifted to hospital where he underwent surgery on the deep cut he sustained on his back.
Thankfully, the 29-year-old defender did not suffer a serious or life-threatening injury. However, he is expected to spend some time on the sidelines recovering from the incident, which is keeping him out of action for Italian side Monza.
Mari joined the Serie A club on a season-long loan in the summer and the club have supported him since the attack on October 27. Players wore T-shirts with messages saying 'Torna Presto, Pablo' (Come back soon, Pablo) for Mari before their match against Bologna on October 31 – and they had the opportunity to support him in person on Sunday.
The Spanish centre-back attended Monza's Serie A match against Verona at the Stadio Brianteo. He turned up with his left arm in a blue sling before taking the sling off to wave to fans and thank them for their applause. Monza went on to win the match 2-0 thanks to second-half goals from Carlos Augusto and Andrea Colpani.
"After the tough time we had yesterday, both my family and I want to communicate that thankfully we are all fine despite the circumstances and to thank all the messages of support and love we are receiving," Mari said in his first public statement after the attack.
"In addition, we want to send condolences and all our strength to the relatives and friends of the deceased person, and we sincerely wish that all injured people recover as soon as possible."
Although a specific timeline has not been placed on Mari’s recovery, Monza said in a statement that they expect him to be sidelined for around two months.
"The specialists of the General Surgery-Trauma Team of the Niguarda Hospital in Milan carried out this morning the surgery to reconstruct the two injured muscles on Pablo Mari's back," the club said in a statement.
"The surgery went well and a hospital stay of two or three days is expected. After the resignation, the player will be able to start a rehabilitation process. This type of muscle injury usually requires two months of rest before you can resume physical activities."
Mari had played eight times for Monza before the incident and scored his first goal for the newly-promoted side in a victory over Spezia. Arsenal signed him from Flamengo in 2020 and he has made 22 appearances for the club, scoring once. He spent the second half of last season on loan with Udinese.
