Xavi Hernandez says he has had plenty of offers to leave Barcelona but did not want to represent another club in Europe.
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Bayern Munich coach Guardiola was reported to be interested in a reunion with Xavi this summer, while Louis van Gaal -- another former Barca boss -- was rumoured to have made an attempt to take the 34-year-old to Manchester United.
However, it appeared that the closest team to landing Xavi were Al-Arabi, whose coach, Dan Petrescu, had claimed the played had agreed a pre-contract with the Qatari club.
Xavi ultimately stayed at the Camp Nou, where he is under contract until 2016, and he told a Canal Plus documentary that he had no interest in playing for another top European team as he feared having to face his former employers.
"If it was up to me I would never leave Barcelona, but obviously circumstances take control," Xavi said, according to AS. "I could have left many times, but in the end the 'feeling' for the club got the better of me.
"I told the club that I did not want to play for another team in Europe, I wanted to finish up playing at Barcelona, and then we will see what happens in the future. I did not want to play against Barcelona. I do not want to see myself in a Champions League game, playing in the Camp Nou, wearing another jersey. I want to avoid that situation."
Xavi -- who received an offer from AC Milan as a teenager and has also said he was close to joining Bayern after Euro 2008 -- has spent the entirety of his career at Barca and has made more appearances for the club than any other player.
He has yet to add to his tally under Luis Enrique this season, but he could be set to make his first appearance of the campaign in Wednesday night's Champions League group-stage opener against APOEL at the Camp Nou.
Enrique has named a much-changed match squad for the game, with regulars Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Pedro Rodriguez and Javier Mascherano all rested. Summer signing Thomas Vermaelen, meanwhile, has yet to receive a medical all-clear.
Right-back Dani Alves, who missed Saturday's 2-0 La Liga win over Athletic Bilbao with a knee injury, returns to the squad, with youngsters Munir El-Haddadi, Sandro and Sergi Samper also included.