
<p>AC <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/07/13/monza-enters-first-serie-a-campaign-with-zealous-intent/">Monza</a> defender Pablo Mari is recuperating after a stabbing while at a shopping center in Italy. The defender was with his wife and child when the incident occurred. He just joined the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/serie-a-tv-schedule/">Serie A</a> club on loan from <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/arsenal-tv-schedule/">Arsenal </a>in August.</p>



<p>“Today I had luck, because I saw a person die in front of me,” Mari told <a href="https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/Monza/27-10-2022/pablo-mari-accoltellato-suo-racconto-morta-persona-a-me-450840914398.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">La Gazzetta dello Sport</a>. While the 29-year-old center back was stabbed, he was reportedly conscious all the way to the hospital. His injuries are not life threatening and he has already had successful surgery on the wound.</p>



<p>Mari explained the horrific incident from his hospital room. “I was in the trolley with my child inside and I felt an excruciating pain in my back,” said the defender. “Then, that man stabbed another in the throat.”</p>



<h2>Pablo Mari involved in stabbing</h2>



<p>Six people were attacked in total at the market and one person died as a result of their injuries. The perpetrator was soon disarmed and apprehended by police. Former Napoli player Massimo Tarantino was reportedly one of the heroes that helped contain the attacker.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our thoughts are with Pablo Mari and the other victims of today&apos;s dreadful incident in Italy.<br><br>We have been in contact with Pablo’s agent who has told us he’s in hospital and is not seriously hurt.</p>— Arsenal (@Arsenal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1585720146555019264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2022</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Monza chief executive Andrea Galliani has claimed that Mari will be out of action for a few months. “I fear it’ll be three months before he can be back on the pitch as he can start training after two and put in a big effort as he makes progress,” Galliani told <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12731733/pablo-mari-arsenal-defender-taken-to-hospital-after-being-stabbed-in-shopping-centre-attack-in-italy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sky Italy</a>. “In sporting terms, unfortunately it’ll be more than two months until he’s back on the pitch.”</p>



<p>Galliani also said that the player’s physical condition helped save his life. “What I’ve understood from the doctor is that if he hadn’t had strong muscles in his back, the knife probably would’ve gone in more deeply and he would’ve died,” stated Galliani. “Being an athlete certainly helped him in terms of having strong muscles that stopped the knife.”</p>



<p>Because of the terrible attack, Monza have asked for their game against Bologna on Monday to be postponed. A decision by the league has not yet been made official.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Marco Canoniero</em></p>


Pablo Mari was among the victims of a stabbing at a shopping mall in Italy on Thursday. He is currently on loan at Monza from Arsenal.

Pablo Mari set to miss 3 months of action after stabbing

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<p>Newly promoted AS Monza enters Serie A for the first time in the club’s history. Ahead of the 2022/23 Calcio season, the debutant club in Italy’s top flight looks to make an immediate statement.</p>
<p>For almost any new team entering a top-flight, the primary objective is always survival. However, Club President Silvio Berlusconi made it apparent AS Monza aims to compete for something bigger than dodging an immediate relegation back to Serie B. Instead, the club carries a fearless mentality in Italy’s top flight.</p>
<p>The club made this notion crystal clear through several reinforcements. With continued investment in the club, the squad has the potential to fight for a European spot. If anything, Monza wants to avoid a common narrative in its first Serie A season. A signing spree in the transfer market looks to avoid any threat of going back down to Serie B.</p>
<h5><strong>Ambitious Summer Signings </strong></h5>
<p>Monza made a statement with its slew of summer signings. Stefano Sensi spent time with Inter Milan, now arriving on a loan. Also, Monza acquired goalkeeper Alessio Cragno from Cagliari on loan, another player with international caps. Plus, Andrea Ranocchia arrives from Inter with invaluable leadership experience.</p>
<p>However, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/07/06/italys-pessina-moves-to-ambitious-monza-on-loan/">the highlight signing is Matteo Pessina</a>. The Italy international comes over from Atalanta on a season-long loan. Monza has an obligation to make the move permanent upon certain accomplishments. According to Italian media, this is simply survival in Serie A this season. Matteo Pessina actually spent some of his youth career and early parts of his professional career with Monza. Effectively, it is his boyhood club.</p>
<p>The midfielder is surely the talisman Monza seeks as it hunts a European spot. Yet, the acquisitions do not stop there. Currently, Monza want a striker to lead them at the top. The ambitious club reached out to both Mauro Icardi and Edinson Cavani. Icardi failed to meet expectations at PSG, while Cavani is now a free agent.</p>
<p>Plus, Monza reached out to Mario Balotelli, who wants to revive his career in Italy at the age of 31.</p>
<h5><strong>The Berlusconi-Galliani takeover and plan </strong></h5>
<p>Acquiring recognizable names is just the next step for Monza in a plan years in the making. Look back to 2017. Controversial former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi sold AC Milan in 2017. Then, he took over a third division club a year later. Berlusconi acquired Monza in 2018 for a $3.4 million price tag. His goal was to bring the club to the first division in Italy.</p>
<p>To accomplish this, Berlusconi arranged for former Milan CEO Adriano Galliani to join him at Monza. <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/monza-to-serie-a-how-silvio-berlusconi-and-adriano-galliani-brought-their-new-club-to-italys-top-division/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Together with Galliani</a>, Berlusconi turned Milan into an Italian and European power. With the pair at the helm, the&nbsp;<em><span class="nowrap"><i>Rossoneri</i></span> </em>won eight Serie A titles and 5 UEFA Champions Leagues trophies. That is a little far-fetched for lowly Monza making its Serie A debut. However, the pair hold distinguished success in Italian soccer.</p>
<h3><strong>Monza makes its Serie A debut</strong></h3>
<p>Monza enter the summit of Italian football preparing to cause problems for many top Serie A teams. Over the last few transfer markets, the club did an excellent job picking up some expiring talent. Gaston Ramires and Giullio Donati, as well as a few others, still have talent and desire to play competitively.</p>
<p>Monza is a well-rounded squad with incoming talent that still awaits. It could prove problematic for the traditionally large sides like Juventus, Napoli, Inter or defending champions Milan.</p>
<p>Monza kicks off its first Serie A campaign on August 12 at home to Torino. A quick test ensues on the road in Naples the following week. Monza are prepared to achieve something that no other club in Europe has ever done: qualify for a European competition in its first ever season in a European top-flight.</p>
<p><em>PHOTO: Giuseppe Cottini/Getty Images</em></p>


Monza, the newest team to join Serie A history, does not shape up to be relegated this season. It wants a European spot, instead.

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Pablo Mari set to miss 3 months of action after stabbing

Leagues: Serie A

Monza enters first Serie A campaign with zealous intent