Pep Guardiola has advised his Manchester City players to "rest their minds" to prepare for the upcoming season, following their elimination from the FIFA Club World Cup by Al Hilal.

Manchester City suffered a surprising 4-3 defeat to the Saudi team in extra time at Camping World Stadium on Monday.

Guardiola described it as "a pity" that his team could not advance, but he quickly shifted focus to the Premier League's start in August.

"We would have loved to continue," the City manager said. "This opportunity comes only once every four years. We felt the team was performing well, but now it's time to head home and rest both physically and mentally for the new season.

"The atmosphere was excellent. I cannot thank Manchester City and especially the players enough for their dedication in training and performances. The differences were very narrow."

Guardiola acknowledged that City lacked clinical finishing against Al Hilal, especially in the first half where they missed several scoring chances.

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou delivered an outstanding performance, enabling his team to mount a comeback in the second half and secure victory on a thrilling night with Marcos Leonardo's 112th-minute goal.

"Ultimately, we needed to score and be more clinical," Guardiola said. "They didn't create much in the first half, but we did and failed to convert. I believed we could progress. We allowed some transitions, yet we generated plenty of opportunities.

"There were so many positive aspects I haven't seen before. The camaraderie among players, with our captain Bernardo Silva playing a key role, and the high standards set by the staff.

"I sensed we were enjoying our time here, and the training sessions were highly effective, but the intensity of this competition rivals the World Cup."