Spanish coach Pep Guardiola revealed after extending his contract with Manchester City for an additional two years that he "could not leave now" at a time when the club is going through its toughest period since he took charge in 2016.
There had been speculation about the possible end of Guardiola's tenure at the club following four consecutive defeats, with the team struggling in the absence of Spanish midfielder Rodri, the winner of the Ballon d'Or for Best Midfielder, who is sidelined for the entire season due to a knee injury.
City, currently second in the Premier League, trails Liverpool by five points (28 to 23), after losses to Bournemouth and Brighton. They also lost 1-4 to Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Champions League and were eliminated from the League Cup by Tottenham.
The former Barcelona coach said: "I felt I couldn't leave now, it's as simple as that."
He added: "Don't ask me why. Maybe the four defeats were the reason behind it, and I felt like I couldn’t leave."
Guardiola, who has been repeatedly asked about his future in recent weeks, continued: "Since the beginning of the season, I’ve been thinking a lot about this moment. I'll be honest, I thought this season should be my last."
He concluded: "But at the same time, when the current situation and the problems we faced last month came up, I felt it wasn’t the right time to leave. I don't want to let the club down."
