Pablo Mari told Monza CEO Adriano Galliani he was ‘lucky’ after supermarket attack left one person dead

Arsenal defender Pablo Mari said he was “lucky” after he was stabbed in an attack at a Milan supermarket that claimed the life of one person.

Reports in Italy say that five people were injured and a 30-year-old cashier was killed when a man launched the unprovoked attack on shoppers in Assago.

Mari, who is on loan at Monza this season, was stabbed in the back during the attack. His club said on Friday that he had undergone successful surgery and will remain in hospital for two to three days.

CEO of Monza Adriano Galliani spoke with Mari after the incident. Galliani then spoke to reporters.

“Poor Mari, he says he was lucky. He used these exact words: ‘Today I was lucky’. Because he saw someone else die,” said Galliani.

Italian media reports say that Mari was in the Carrefour supermarket with his wife and child when he was stabbed in the back.

Mari took to social media on Friday afternoon, stating he and his family are fortunately “fine” and sent his condolences to the person who was killed.

“After the difficult we experienced yesterday, both my family and I want to say that fortunately we are all fine despite the circumstances, and to thank you for the messages of support and affection that we have received,” said Mari.

“In addition, we want to send our condolences and all our strength to the family and friends of the person who died, and we sincerely wish that all the injured people recover as soon as possible.”

Sky Italy also reported that Massimo Tarantino, a former defender who represented the likes of Napoli, Inter and Bologna and now works as a director for Serie B side SPAL, was one of the people responsible for disarming the attacker.

Tarantino stopped and disarmed the assailant, according to the report, before telling reporters: “(The attacker) was screaming, screaming, that was it. Am I a hero? I haven’t done anything”.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said on Thursday that technical director Edu had been in touch with the player’s relatives and he believed his health was not in immediate danger.

He said: “I just found out. I know Edu has been in touch with his relatives. He’s in hospital but he seems to be okay.”