Mikel Arteta sends sympathy message to Pep Guardiola over ‘self hurt’ remark as Arsenal boss admits ‘each defeat is tremendous painful’

Mikel Arteta has sent a message of sympathy to Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City manager said he wanted to ‘harm himself’.

Following Tuesday’s 3-3 draw in the Champions League against Feyenoord, Guardiola was questioned in the press conference about scratches across his head and nose.

He explained that it was caused by his fingernail before adding with a smile, ‘I want to harm myself’.

The Man City boss took to social media on Wednesday to issue a statement, insisting he did not mean to make light of self-harm.

Both Arteta and Guardiola are close, Arteta having worked under the 53-year-old as assistant coach at the Manchester club between 2016 and 2019.

When asked if he was concerned about Guardiola, the Arsenal boss said: ‘That’s something very personal but I feel a lot of sympathy for all my colleagues because I know the job, how ruthless this industry is and how we get judged just by one thing — results.

Mikel Arteta (pictured) has sent a message of sympathy to Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City manager said he wanted to ‘harm himself’

Guardiola made the comment when referencing how he had cut his nose with his fingernail during Man City’s midweek draw against Feyenoord

Arteta and Guardiola are close with the Arsenal boss having worked under the 53-year-old as assistant coach at the Manchester club between 2016 and 2019

‘Regardless if you do exactly the same thing and the outcome becomes different. We have to deal with that, I know how difficult it is because personally I’ve been through that a lot and every defeat obviously is super painful and that’s it.

‘Just put some perspective into it like we always do and move on because there’s always another game.’

Ahead of the Gunners’ match against West Ham on Saturday, Arteta also offered a cryptic message on Gabriel who was forced off in the 5-1 midweek victory over Sporting Lisbon.

Gabriel has started every Premier League and Champions League match this for the north London club, though Arteta admitted there is a chance that the 26-year-old could be set to lose that record this weekend.

He said: ‘We have to see how the boys are today (in training). A few weren’t able to train yesterday, but hopefully yes today. We will have to wait and see.’

But when asked specifically about Gabriel, Arteta added: ‘Wait and see. (I’m not giving you more) because I can’t. It’s not that I don’t want to.’