City have only won one of their last 11 matches, increasing the pressure on Guardiola to improve the team’s performance.
Following a 3-3 draw at home against Feyenoord in the Champions League last month, where City squandered a three-goal lead, Guardiola appeared at his post-match press conference with a scratch on his nose and several red marks on his face. ..Continue Reading
He said that he caused the nose scratch with his fingernail, before adding: “I want to harm myself.”
Guardiola later apologized for his previous comment, clarifying that it was never intended to downplay the serious issue of self-harm.
He confirmed that the scratch on his nose was caused by a fingernail but didn’t initially explain the red marks on his head.
Later, he informed reporters that he has a skin condition that has required treatment for several years, prior to last weekend’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United.
Journalist Guillem Balague, who has close ties with Guardiola, claimed that while the fingernail caused some marks, an argument with City right-back Walker worsened the situation.
He said: “He scratches his head, don’t ask me why. It’s a gesture of nervousness.
“Normally nothing happens. But that day, he had a nail which was far too sharp.
“If you remember, he started the game with a cover of the nose.
“That is because there was an argument the day before, a football argument, about positional football and where he had to play with Kyle Walker. He just got nervous, marked his nose and they put a cover on it in his own office.
“At the end of the game, he goes to the changing room and starts scratching his head.
“He goes to the press conference and his right-hand man sends him a photo and asks, ‘What happened to your head?’ Because you can see all of the marks.
“Pep looks at the photo and, after the press conference, goes to the coaching room. And they [the marks] were all gone. There was nothing in his head.
“It’s one of those. It shows that he’s tense, he’s nervous, of course. He doubts, hugely, himself. He always did. And he needs a little bit of support, I think.”
