"I'm not perfect": What's going on with Pep Guardiola?

Manchester City’s decline in form and the controversy over alleged financial fair play violations have clearly taken a toll on Pep Guardiola. The usually composed Catalan coach has shown signs of exhaustion and tension, leading to some uncharacteristic outbursts.

Pep Guardiola, who extended his contract with Manchester City for two more years in late November, is going through the toughest stretch of his coaching career. His team has won just one of their last eight matches, sits fourth in the Premier League, and ranks a disappointing 22nd in the Champions League as of December 12, 2024.

Guardiola’s composed demeanor has been shaken by on-field struggles. After the November 26 Champions League match against Feyenoord, where the Dutch side staged a dramatic late comeback to secure a draw, signs began to emerge that something was off.

After the match, Guardiola faced the media with visible scratches on his head and face. He admitted these wounds were the result of running his finger nails across his head in a state of stress and nervousness.

"I did it with my finger, my nail. I wanted to hurt myself," he explained on BeIN Sports, words to which he later added an apology in a statement highlighting the importance of looking after mental health in the world of elite sport.

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Guardiola’s composure was again tested after a 2-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield on December 1. During the match, he was taunted by the crowd, with fans mocking his position at Manchester City. In response, he raised six fingers to the Reds' supporters, a reference to the six Premier League titles he’s won.

After the game, the media questioned him about the possibility of being dismissed, drawing a comparison to a similar gesture made by his rival, Jose Mourinho, in 2018 before his exit from Manchester United. Guardiola responded, as reported by ESPN: "I hope not in my case... He won three, I won six... but in that we are equal."

The Portuguese coach didn’t let Guardiola’s comment slide, firing back strongly. As reported by ESPN, citing Turkish outlet Hurriyet, Mourinho responded: "I won fairly and cleanly... I don’t want to win by dealing with 150 court cases."

Guardiola was quick to address Mourinho's harsh response, clarifying that his comment was meant as a joke. As reported by ESPN, he said: "If I have offended him, I am very sorry, but it was a joke. The fact is he has three and I have six – that’s a fact, but the intention was totally good."

This isn’t the first time Guardiola has clashed with Mourinho, nor the only instance of him showing frustration in tough times. Another video that went viral this month shows him confronting a Liverpool fan.

After last season's FA Cup final loss to Manchester United (2-1), Guardiola was confronted by a fan on the street who taunted, "Cry, because you've lost." Without hesitation, the coach turned around and challenged him, saying, "do you know what is lost?" as security had to step in to hold him back.

After his recent defeat to Crystal Palace, many media outlets have labeled Guardiola a defeatist. He claimed his team "has to survive this season".

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All of this reflects Guardiola’s intense approach to football, as he explained in a digital chat with renowned Spanish chef Dani Garcia on his YouTube channel 'Desmontaditos'. He openly admitted that he’s been more nervous than usual lately.

"Even if you lean on your friends, no one can take away the loneliness of being a coach. You go through the grief alone. You go into the room, turn off the light, and you're there..." Guardiola said, adding, "We can't be happy all the time. If you're sad, you're sad."

"It's good to be sad, to live with it, to fight with it. You don't have to fight your own feelings," Guardiola continued. "People expect everything to be exceptional. I'm a fan of defeat; the opponent has skill, they have a background. In the media, it's not like that."

Guardiola wanted to delve deeper into the topic, pointing out, "They tell you that you always have to be happy, that you have to win the Champions League, the Premier League... We already do a lot by trying our best. (…) I'm not perfect."

"I like it. There’s no other explanation: imagine the match, put yourself on the edge, get excited about what will help, visualize what will happen," Guardiola said. "I want to quit and play golf, but I can't. At some point, I'll feel like it's enough. I don’t see myself starting over. Maybe coaching a national team. I should stop, like chefs who go to other countries. It would be good for me, but I'm here."

This highlights Guardiola's intense way of living football and the two sides of his personality that he’s shown publicly: the calm, composed figure when winning and everything is going well, and the frustrated, emotional side that emerges in moments of defeat – like now – where he’s lost his temper in ways few could have anticipated.

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