Man City manager Pep Guardiola: Toughest season of my career

The City manager, who has known sustained success across Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester, offered a candid reflection on a season that could still yield silverware, but has fallen short of the club's high benchmarks.

"This has been the most difficult season, that's for sure," Guardiola admitted. "It's been more demanding-much more. When you don't win, everything becomes more emotionally taxing: the preparation, the moods, the pressure."

City's dip in form began in late October and never fully corrected. A Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid in the knockout phase playoffs, paired with inconsistent domestic results, ensured an end to their era of dominance in the league.

While City remain in the hunt for a top-five finish and are favourites to lift the FA Cup - with the added possibility of the Club World Cup later this year - Guardiola made it clear that those prizes won't erase the disappointment of a season that failed to match the standards his teams have set.

The Spaniard, now in his eighth season at the Etihad, pointed to key injuries and form dips as decisive factors, particularly the loss of midfield anchor Rodri for an extended period.

"We had a lot of injuries. We didn't have the energy," he said. "We tried, but we were not able to do it. I didn't find a way to make them feel comfortable and win games."

Guardiola also accepted responsibility for the team's decline. "It could have been worse," he said. "I was not good enough to find the way-but we didn't give up. We're still fighting to qualify for the Champions League, which is a big, big prize, and we have the FA Cup."