Arsenal's Pablo Marí avoided life-threatening injuries in stabbing attack due to physical shape, doctor says

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Because of his top physical shape, A.C. Monza defender Pablo Marí avoided potentially life-threatening injuries when he was attacked in a stabbing incident at a shopping center near Milan, a doctor performing his surgery said Friday. 

Marí, who is on loan from Arsenal, was one of five people stabbed on Thursday after a 46-year-old man reportedly grabbed a knife from a supermarket shelf before attacking innocent bystanders. 

Pablo Marí was stabbed in the Milanofiori shopping center in the town of Assago, near Milan. (Photo by Sportinfoto/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

One person, believed to have been a supermarket employee, was killed as a result of the attack. 

ARSENAL AND MONZA DEFENDER PABLO MARI STABBED IN MILAN ATTACK

"The surgery was a relatively simple one. Luckily there were only two damaged muscles," said Osvaldo Chiara, the director of the general surgery and trauma team at the Niguarda hospital in Milan.

"(Marí’s) muscular mass is such that the length of the knife that was used couldn’t pass through the rib cage and hit his lung."

Monza's Pablo Mari' celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Monza and Spezia, at the U-Power Stadium in Monza, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (Claudio Grassi/LaPresse via AP) (Claudio Grassi/LaPresse via AP)

Marí posted an update on social media Friday saying that he and his family, who were with him at the time of the attack, are "fine." 

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"After the hard moment we experienced yesterday, both my family and I want to communicate that fortunately we are all fine despite the circumstances, and we want to thank all the messages of support and affection that we are receiving," the post on Twitter read. 

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

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Monza, the Serie A club, posted an update on Friday confirming that Marí is expected to remain at the hospital for two or three more days and will likely miss two months as he recovers. 

Pablo Marí of AC Monza looks on during the Serie A football match between AC Milan and AC Monza. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)

"All of AC Monza shares deeply in the family’s pain for the loss of Luis Fernando Ruggieri, victim of the madness that took place last night in Assago," the club said in a tweet. "Thoughts also go in these hours to the other people injured and their families."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.