Pep Guardiola has thanked Manuel Pellegrini for the foundations he laid for him to build on at Manchester City.
Pellegrini, who preceded Guardiola as manager at the Etihad Stadium, guided City to the Premier League title in 2014 as well as League Cup successes in that same year and 2016.
Guardiola, with a squad still relying on a core of players from the Pellegrini era, won the league by a record margin last season and has also enjoyed two League Cup triumphs.
Pellegrini returns to the Etihad Stadium with his current club West Ham on Wednesday.
Guardiola said: “Of course, all the players I have in my hands now were with other managers. They learned a lot from that and I have benefited from that.
“In the last decade, they were involved with (Roberto) Mancini and Manuel (Pellegrini) and myself. All the staff and all the players, we have created Manchester City. I didn’t build it. I didn’t create it.
“Many incredible players and managers, everybody, did something. Hopefully we can leave something for the next manager.
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Manuel Pellegrini: “It's been three wonderful years – unforgettable. Thank you to the fans, I'll never forget you." pic.twitter.com/8SOAQkn6zH— Premier League (@premierleague) May 8, 2016
“That’s the best we can do for other managers, leave something for the club and, of course, I got something with what Manuel did here.”
The closing stages of Pellegrini’s final season at City were played out in the knowledge that the Chilean would be making way for Guardiola in the summer of 2016.
This was made clear early in the hope that certainty would put an end to speculation over the managerial position, with Guardiola having already announced his departure from Bayern Munich.
Pellegrini revealed later, however, that he felt the announcement changed the mood at the club and perhaps undermined their attempts to win more silverware.
Manuel Pellegrini guided Manchester City to the Premier League title in 2014 (Martin Rickett/PA)
Guardiola is sorry if the situation created any difficulties for Pellegrini and was the reason the team may have under-performed.
He said: “I think the decision was consulted by all parties, I think everybody was honest.
“The intention was not to create a problem for when he was here.
“I don’t know what happened in the locker room and what the reason is, but if it was the reason I’m sorry and I apologise.”
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