Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has admitted that the announcement of Pep Guardiola as the club's next manager had an impact on his side's form in the second half of the season.
The club confirmed that Guardiola would succeed Pellegrini this summer on transfer deadline day in February, since when City have won just six of their 15 league games.
Pellegrini's side only confirmed their place in next season's Champions League with a 1-1 draw against Swansea City on the final day this afternoon, and the Chilean believes that the timing of the announcement affected the team.
"I wanted to win the Premier League this season, but the atmosphere from February when the club announced the new manager was maybe not the best atmosphere. We lost two important games at home when we were three points behind the leaders," Pellegrini told BBC Sport.
"The only option we had today was that we needed to get the point to get Champions League for next year."
Pellegrini leaves Manchester City having guided them to one Premier League title and two League Cups.
Barney Corkhill
