‘Between life and death’: Ex-wife of former Arsenal & Russia star Andrey Arshavin ‘fighting for life after Covid diagnosis’

Andriy Arshavin's ex-wife, model-turned-Instagram-influencer Alisa Arshavin, 38, is reported to be gravely ill in a St. Petersburg hospital after catching Covid-19 while in a coma in intensive care due to a separate illness.

Arshavin, who has also worked as a journalist and has a child with the former Russian playmaker, has been in intensive care for the past eight days and was described by her mother Natalia Sarycheva as being "between life and death".

She had been diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and peritonitis, prompting doctors to place her into an induced coma during which she was reported to have contracted Covid-19.

Her mother has said that she has suffered from "40 percent lung damage", adding that Arshavin "has Covid-19 and pneumonia with a complication".

Arshavin's health problems come amid a bitter dispute between her and the 75-times capped Russian international. Andrey Arshavin’s mother, Tatyana, has taken court action to attempt to evict her and her three children from the family home of her marriage to Andrey. 

She had taken legal moves to prevent action which she says would leave her and the four-year old daughter she has with the former Russian Footballer of the Year "homeless", but missed a scheduled court date due to her poor health.

Arshavin is also understood to be battling a potentially life-threatening disease which she says has "mutilated" her nose as a result of a serious degenerative autoimmune problem.

Several of Arshavin's Instagram posts this year showed her covering her nose and she was forced to deny accusations that she had undergone a 'botched' nose job.

"I'm not sick because of unsuccessful plastic surgery," she told her fans earlier this year.

"I have a serious disease of the autoimmune system. Two surgeries have helped to save my life. As a result, my beautiful face was mutilated by the disease."

The condition is a particularly ravaging one as it can lead to damage inside the jaw, nose, cheekbone and lips.

Andrey Arshavin scored 31 times in 144 appearances during his spell in the English Premier League with Arsenal before seeing out his playing career in his homeland with spells with Zenit St. Petersburg – his second stint with the current Russian Premier League champions – and Kuban Krasnodar.

He retired from professional football after three seasons with Kairat in the Kazakhstan Premier League, and currently serves as an adviser on youth football matters to Zenit.