Pep Guardiola: Manchester City boss clarifies ‘harm myself’ comment after Feyenoord loss
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he did not intend to “dismiss” self-harm as he responded to a question about scratches on his face.
Manchester City lead 3-0 Draw with Feyenoord 3-3 Guardiola noticed several scratches on his forehead during a post-match interview with Amazon Prime after Tuesday’s Champions League match.
When asked at a press conference about the marks on his nose, Guardiola made a scratching motion and said: “With my fingers, my nails.”
The 53-year-old then said “I want to hurt myself” before leaving the press conference laughing.
A statement on Guardiola’s official account said: “Last night at the end of the press conference I was startled by a question about the scratches on my face, which I explained were accidental from sharp nails.” On X and Instagram.
“My answer is in no way intended to trivialize the very serious issue of self-harm.”
The statement added that Guardiola was aware that “many people struggle with mental health issues on a daily basis” and mentioned Samaritan’s Purse as “highlighting one of the ways people can seek help”.
The match against Feyenoord at the Etihad Stadium ended City’s five-game losing streak.
However, the club has not recorded a win since a 1-0 win over Southampton on October 26.
Guardiola’s side are 15th among the 36 teams in the Champions League and second in the Premier League, eight points behind leaders Liverpool, who they face at Anfield on Sunday.
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