Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola clarified a comment he made that suggested he wanted to hurt himself after his side threw away a three-goal lead against Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Guardiola sat down at a news conference after the 3-3 draw with Feyenoord with a cut on his nose as well as some scratches across the top of his bald head.
Asked about those marks, Guardiola said: “Yeah, my finger. Here,” as he performed a rapid downward motion along his nose. “My nail.”
Then he added with a smile: “I want to harm myself.”
On Wednesday, Guardiola walked back those comments in a post on X.
“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,” he said.
“My answer was in no way intended to make light of the very serious issue of self harm.
“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 on 116 123 or emailing jo@samaritans.org.”
Guardiola is enduring the worst run of his managerial career, with City having lost five straight games in all competitions for the first time before the implosion against Feyenoord.
No team in the Champions League had ever lost a three-goal lead as late as the 75th minute and failed to win the game, according to stats supplier Opta.
The situation could yet get worse for City, who were humiliated in a 4-0 home loss to Tottenham on Saturday. Their next game is a trip to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.