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Guardiola who joked that he wanted to harm himself after his side’s frustrating 3-3 draw against Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, clarified his comments, stating that he did not mean to make light of a serious mental health issues such as self-harm.
Pep Guardiola. (X)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola who joked that he wanted to harm himself after his side’s frustrating 3-3 draw against Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, clarified his comments, stating that he did not mean to make light of a serious mental health issues such as self-harm.
City slumped to their sixth winless game on the trot in all competitions after the Dutch side clawed their way back from a three-goal deficit against the Premier League champions to add to Guardiola’s woes after he had lost five of his previous games coming into the fixture.
The ever-animated Guardiola was pictured with scratch marks on his head and a cut on his nose, caused by his fingernail, following the draw and went on to joke, ‘I want to harm myself’.
The 53-year-old took to social media to clear the air about his comments and took the moment to highlight a way in which people with mental health issues could reach out for help.
“I was caught off guard with a question at the end of a press conference last night about a scratch which had appeared on my face and explained that a sharp fingernail had accidentally caused this,” the Spaniard said.
“My answer was in no way intended to make light of the very serious issue of self harm,” he clarified.
“I know that many people struggle with mental health issues every day, and I would like to take this moment to highlight one of the ways in people can seek help, by calling the Samaritans hotline,” he added.
In the lead-up to the game against the Eredivisie club, City went down to Tottenham in excruciating fashion as the Spurs ran riot against Guardiola’s men at the Etihad in a 4-0 triumph for the travelling side. The defeat followed a couple of 1-2 losses at Brighton and Bournemouth in City’s earlier PL games adding to Guardiola’s frustrations.
City also went down to Sporting Lisob in their previous UCL fixture and a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Spurs in the EFL Cup.
Premier League champions City take on table-toppers Liverpool in their next PL outing on Sunday in a game that could well determine the title race in the long run.
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