Arsenal pay touching shirt tribute to Pablo Mari after Martinelli goal as on-loan ace leaves hospital after stabbing

ARSENAL paid a touching tribute to Pablo Mari today after the on-loan defender was stabbed in Milan on Thursday.

Gabriel Martinelli held up a shirt with Mari's name and number on the back after opening the scoring against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates.

Mari, 29, was released from hospital earlier today after undergoing back surgery on Friday.

And Martinelli was joined by the rest of the Arsenal squad to hold up a Mari shirt after breaking the deadlock against Forest.

Mari, on loan at Serie A side Monza, was stabbed in the back while out shopping with his wife and child.

The Gunners also paid tribute to the defender before the game kicked off.

The whole squad, including crocked stars Emile Smith Rowe and Oleksandr Zinchenko, posed for a picture with a shirt bearing Mari's name and number.

Club captain Martin Odegaard held up the shirt with the help of Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Jesus.

Mari was discharged from hospital in Milan today and will continue his rehabilitation at home.

His surgery saw doctors reconstruct two injured muscles in his back.

Mari is now set to be out for two months as he recovers from the random knifing.

One person was tragically killed in the horrific attack, with Mari revealing he saw them die in front of him.

And Arsenal have now paid an emotional tribute to their on loan star at the Emirates after initially releasing a statement in the week.

It 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."