Pep Guardiola brushed off the biggest Champions League failure of his managerial career by insisting he has never felt so powerful as a coach.

The Manchester City manager said he received the full backing of Khaldoon al-Mubarak, the club’s chairman, in the wake of their Champions League round of 16 exit to Monaco.

Guardiola, who had never failed to reach the Champions League semi-finals before, could finish the season without a trophy for the first time in eight seasons as a manager if City do not win the FA Cup.

But the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach said he had never experienced such empowerment and had been emboldened by the steadfast support of City’s hierarchy since his team threw away a two-goal advantage to bow out on away goals to Monaco after a 6-6 aggregate scoreline.