Manuel Pellegrini says he couldn't save his Manchester City job after his successor Pep Guardiola revealed he was leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season.
The City boss will leave the club this summer after three years in charge to be replaced by former Barcelona manager Guardiola.
The Spaniard won three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues in his time at the Camp Nou and will now link up with former Barcelona directors Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain at City.
And Pellegrini says he understands why the club were so determined to appoint Guardiola when he became available.
The Chilean told Spanish newspaper Marca: "The club has always wanted to work with Guardiola, and that is logical, because they have a relationship from their time at Barcelona.
"Pep was on the market and it was clear they were going to take him when he became free. If I had won two Champions Leagues and two Premier Leagues, Guardiola would still have come."
Pellegrini said earlier this week that the club's decision to announce the appointment of Guardiola could have cost them the title.
But City have reached the semifinals of the Champions League -- where they will face his former club Real Madrid -- while they are also battling to finish in the top four of the Premier League.
And Pellegrini insists he can still end his three years at the club with more success.
"My responsibility is to reach the best heights possible -- reaching the final of the Champions League and trying to win it," he added. "The same in the league. We have to make sure we are included in the top four.
"These are professional things. I have a very good relationship with the people who run the club, with Txiki, with Ferran. It is nothing like [the terrible] relationship I had with the board at Real Madrid.
"I understand they wanted a change after three years. I knew that I had a three year contract and I have completed them.
"Another thing is that the uncertainty affects the mentality of the player when they are in the middle of a competition, when people are talking about who is coming and who is going. Of course, there is still a lot for us to fight for, because we are in an unheard of position for this club."
Pellegrini says that Real Madrid will start the semifinal as favourites but insists they are not unbeatable.
He said: "They start as favourites because of their name and history. On the pitch it remains to be seen, we both have great players. Madrid has a small advantage of playing the return leg at home.
"It is a team that can make a goal out of nothing and is very powerful on the counterattack with very strong players, with good technical skills.
"They have a class of midfielders which I would want, like Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Isco and James Rodriguez and their attack is very potent.
"This team also takes advantage of their rival's mistakes.
"The defence I see as a bit flaky in some respects but all the big teams always have defensive problems. It is the price you pay for playing attacking football."