The man accused of sneaking into a Brooklyn professor’s home and stabbing him to death there admitted Tuesday that he attacked the teacher — but claimed he’s innocent.

“I was defending myself,” mumbled Mirzo Atadzhanov, 28, as police led him out of the 70th Precinct stationhouse in handcuffs and a white Tyvek suit.

“I did nothing wrong,” he said, keeping his eyes cast downward.

The Brighton Beach resident is charged with murder and burglary in the slaying of 66-year-old The New School professor Jeremy Safran, who was found dead and bloody in his basement Monday.

When questioned, Atadzhanov told cops that Safran invited him into his house to work on a home-improvement project Moonday, law-enforcement sources said.

Atadzhanov claimed Safran snapped and attacked him with the knife — but he wrestled the 5-inch blade away from the man, sources said.

The knife was later found in Atadzhanov’s car, a source said.

Cops arrested Atadzhanov after they found him covered in blood and hiding in a basement closet.

He was awaiting arraignment Tuesday evening.

Additional reporting by Tina Moore