Guardiola pleads for patience

Published Jan. 18, 2011 4:55 p.m. ET

foxsports

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has celebrated his 40th birthday by pleading for patience over calls for him to sign a contract extension.

Guardiola's deal is up at the end of the season and he says on Tuesday he wants ''time to think before I re-sign - there are a lot of things to talk about.''

Guardiola says the situation will be resolved and adds, ''I will never leave the club in an awkward position, they already know that.''

Two-time defending Spanish champion Barcelona is unbeaten in a club record 28 games and leads Real Madrid by four points halfway through the season.

Under Guardiola, Barcelona has won eight major trophies in two seasons including a treble of league, cup and Champions League trophies in 2008-09.