MANCHESTER -- Nolito has said he is happy with Pep Guardiola's rotation policy despite not being a regular starter for Manchester City in recent weeks.
The Spain forward was in the side for City's 1-1 Champions League draw with Celtic on Tuesday, his third start in seven games.
It was his first at the Etihad since the win over Bournemouth in September, when he was sent off for a headbutt and banned for three matches.
Nolito, who turned down Barcelona to move to City for £13.8 million from Celta Vigo in the summer, said Guardiola was trying to maximise his squad for their Premier League and Champions League challenges.
"I'm honestly very happy," he told reporters. "I know that at City it's difficult to play when you have great players.
"The coach is rotating the players and sometimes you play and others you don't.
"From a selfish standpoint, of course I would like to play in every game -- but in the end all the Premier League and Champions League matches are demanding and the coach is doing well to rotate the squad."
Nolito, 30, said he was disappointed not to have won against Celtic even though City had already secured a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
"It was important for us not to take the foot off the pedal. It's a pity that we didn't take the three points, but we must think about Saturday's game [at Leicester] which will be difficult and complicated," he added.
City will find out their next Champions League opponents when the draw is made on Monday and Nolito said: "Honestly, every team is good in the Champions League, and we'll have to be at our best level.
"When the time comes we'll be ready, but now it is time to focus on the Premier League."