It is no secret that Manchester City's recent run of poor form is taking its toll on the fans, the players, but most of all the manager himself.
pep guardiola He has really been feeling the effects of the worst spell of his coaching career and has now revealed to a former teammate how it is affecting him off the field.
The Spaniard's problems were really evident during City's Champions League match against Feyenoord a few weeks ago.
City let their three-goal lead slip away, much to the frustration of their manager, who shocked fans by arriving for his post-match interview with painful red scratches all over his head and a cut on his nose.
When asked at his press conference what caused the scratches, he responded: “Yes, my finger here. My nail. I want to hurt myself.”
the later he apologized for his comments, saying: “Last night, at the end of a press conference, I was surprised with a question about a scratch that had appeared on my face and explained to me that a sharp fingernail had accidentally caused it. My response was in no way intended. downplay the serious problem of self-harm.
But it seems his friends are also starting to notice a difference in the normally calm and collected boss.
Former teammate Luca Toni was on duty with Amazon Prime Italia media as he watched City and Guardiola's crisis deepen with a 2-0 defeat against Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
He interviewed the coach after the game and noted that he looked “nervous” and “unrecognizable” on the sidelines at times this season.
“I was lucky to know you as a man,” said former striker Toni, who played alongside Guardiola at Italian club Brescia.
“I remember Pep Guardiola who after two training sessions in Brescia came to see me and said: 'Can I give you two crosses to kick on goal when training is over?', you saw that he kicked very badly, but you said it with humility. .
“Now you see certain videos in which you seem almost nervous, unrecognizable. You got your nails done…”
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Guardiola responded: “I have a skin problem. I have to take antihistamines for two, three years. I did get my nails done on my nose. But the rest was that.”
“I am a person who sometimes gets nervous. Yes. I have bad days, I make a lot of mistakes, rudeness makes me nervous. Do I sometimes lose my mind? Yes.”
When Toni asked him how he has changed compared to before, Guardiola added: “I sleep badly and I don't digest, I always have to eat lightly. At night only soup.
“I am the same coach I was five months ago. The one who won the Premier League title, and I don't go against my mood. If my mood is ugly… it's ugly. But I know. It will pass .
“The same thing happens when I'm very happy. I know it will happen.
“Sometimes you don't need to be a great team to be happy or enjoy when things are going well. Now the situation we are going through…
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“Now there are no coaches or players or companies that do not go through one or two bad months. It can happen. What can get worse or worse or worse? Lose, lose, lose. What do they do? Do they send me home? I'm going home.
“What can you do in life? Accept it as something normal. You have to accept it. It's life. Life doesn't always go the way you want.”
Asked if City will be able to recover from their poor form, Guardiola said: “This year I don't know.
“I sincerely believe that it will be a year with great difficulties. We have to find continuity. But if we achieve it, it will not be easy for someone to confront us.”
The 2-0 defeat to Juve leaves City with just one win in their last ten games in all competitions.
Guardiola's side dropped points in a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace last week, leaving them fourth in the Premier League, eight points behind leaders Liverpool.
City's recent poor form has been attributed to injuries, with key players Rodri, Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden sidelined, affecting the team's performance.
And it won't get any easier: City's next game will be against local rivals manchester united.
