MANCHESTER, England -- Pep Guardiola says he can understand why Joe Hart got a rousing reception from Manchester City fans on what could be his last game for the club.
The keeper made his first start of the season in the 1-0 Champions League victory over Steaua Bucharest after being dropped for City's opening three matches of the season with backup Willy Caballero preferred.
City are close to sealing a £17 million deal for Barcelona keeper Claudio Bravo, casting doubts over Hart's future at the Etihad, and the England No. 1 appeared to be waving goodbye to the fans as he left the pitch.
Guardiola insists he has been brought into the club to make big decisions and says he has to trust his judgment regarding Hart.
Guardiola told a news conference: "Joe is still our player. I know he's a legend for this club -- one of the reasons this club is what it is is because of Joe. He helped to make this team one step above so I'm so happy with the way the people treated him tonight.
"I'm here to take decisions -- I make a lot of mistakes all my career as a coach -- sometimes good decisions, sometimes bad. I can't deny what I feel. I was honest with Joe, the club and myself and that's what I always try to do. I would like if everyone was happy with all the decisions I take but that's impossible.
"The coach has to take decisions which influence the players' lives and that's not easy. We have 28 players, so 17 players are always not playing. Do you think they are happy with the coach? They are not happy about that.
"I can completely understand if the fans are not happy. Joe did a lot with this club in the years he's been, more than I have done -- I've only been here for one month, he's been here many years.
"I respect all of the guys here but I'm here and I have to take decisions and that's what I feel."
While it was an emotional night for Hart, it was a relatively straightforward one for him too as City secured a place in the Champions League group stage with a comfortable win.
Fabian Delph scored the only goal in the 56th minute as City progressed 6-0 on aggregate to secure a place in Thursday's Champions League group stage draw.
While City made it four wins from four games for Guardiola, the Spaniard wasn't entirely happy with his side's performance despite resting the likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Kevin de Bruyne and Raheem Sterling.
"After a short time we made a very good two games so we are ready definitely for the Champions League. The players and the club deserve it. We were the better team in Bucharest and we were the better team tonight," he added.
"There were too many people behind the ball in the first half. We were not in the right decisions. In the second half, we were much, much better. I'm finding we're having a lot of possession in the first halves of games but not creating enough -- I don't like that.
"The build-up is the most important thing. If you pass, pass, with no chance. They didn't press high, they stayed back -- we have to play it to open up spaces and in the second half, we were much better.
"They had 10 players behind the ball so it's not easy. We attacked with more intensity in the second half. The spirit was again amazing so now is the day to celebrate our qualification for the Champions League."
