Former Manchester United defender Chris Smalling fell victim to an armed robbery at his home on Friday morning, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via the Daily Mail).
Smalling is best known for his ten-year stint at Old Trafford, but is now playing his football with Serie A giants AS Roma, who will be meeting his former side in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
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The former England international missed last night’s draw with Ajax with a knee injury, which has ruled him out for over a month. He has spent the bulk of his time recently recovering at home.
While home ought to be a happy place for Smalling, his wife and his two-year-old child, as has been reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, police were called to his house, south of Rome, at around 5am on Friday morning, after armed robbers broke in and demanded that he opened the family safe.
The report notes how jewellery and other valuables were taken, but thankfully, there is no suggestion that the AS Roma centre-back, nor his family, were physically harmed. They are thought to be, understandably, shaken up.
According to Italian news agency Ansa, three men entered the home in the Appia area just outside of the capital after removing a grating from the window of the player’s bedroom.
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Details are scarce at current, with an update providing further information expected in due course.