GUARD DROPPED
How Pep Guardiola’s emotional rock was wife and partner of over 30 years Cristina Serra, before their shock ‘split’
Pep met his wife when they were both starry eyed teens in Catalonia
PEP GUARDIOLA's strain has been there for everybody to see this season.
The Man City boss has been, literally, scratching his head over his team's poor form in all competitions.
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Now, it has been reported by Spanish media that he has 'split' from wife of over 30 years, Cristina Serra.
Barcelona-based newspaper claim that the pair ended their marriage in December while both in Spain.
add their relationship is still "cordial, stable and friendly" despite deciding to part ways.
The report claims they have been living apart for nearly five years after Cristina moved back to Barcelona to run her fashion company.
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But she has been moving from Spain to London - still visiting her husband when time allows.
While his life was unravelling off the pitch, on it things weren't much better.
The Premier League champions endured a miserable run during that month - losing to Juventus in the Champions League, at home to Man Utd in the Manchester derby, and suffering defeat to Aston Villa before Christmas.
After a Champions League game against Feyenoord in late November, where he watched his side blow a three-goal lead at the Etihad, he cut a tense and nervous figure.
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He was seen with scratches on his head and nose in the press conference that evening.
Guardiola left scratching his head as City blow 3-0 lead against Feyenoord
Guardiola was quizzed about how he got the cuts and responded by saying: "My finger, here [makes a scratching motion]. My nail."
The Spaniard then joked that City's woeful form over the last few weeks has driven him to self-harm, saying: "I want to harm myself."
Guardiola later apologised for his comments and insisted he wasn't making light of mental health issues.
Behind the scenes, his marriage was crumbling as he felt pressure he's never felt during his managerial career.
The missus
Pep met beautiful Cristina in Catalonia, when they were just starry-eyed teenagers.
She comes from a fashion family dynasty, who own the Serra Claret boutique in Barcelona.
It was there their paths crossed for the first time.
Guardiola, then a youth star, was doing a modelling shoot for the late Spanish designer Antonio Miro in the shop, when he fixed his gaze on his future missus.
They finally walked down the aisle in 2014 at a town hall on the outskirts of Barcelona.
Last year, he revealed his wife was his fashion guru.
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He said: “My wife is the best in the world at many things, but especially in fashion. So she says normally to me, don't wear this or wear that, so I follow her.
"I am smart enough to know that when people are much much better than me, follow their advice and hers is really good.”
Whenever City tasted success, Cristina was often seen at the Etihad alongside Guardiola.
She happily posed with the trophies his teams won, with their kids in tow.
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Model daughter
Guardiola and Cristina share three children together.
Their eldest child is daughter Maria, 23, who has branched out on her own.
She shares her glam lifestyle to almost one million followers on Instagram.
Unsurprisingly, the beauty is a model and has appeared in sexy bikini shoots for swimwear brand iBilovesyou.
She also once reportedly dated a footballer.
Back in 2021, Maria was spotted with ex-Spurs star Dele Alli in a romantic clinch.
As we exclusively revealed, the pair didn't care who saw them as they snogged each other at Cloud 9 rooftop bar in front of the DJ booth.
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A few months later, they were spotted getting lunch at trendy Mayfair hotspot Novikov, before grabbing a coffee at Starbucks.
However, six months later it was reported that Alli had split with Maria.
Family time
In 2023, after a gruelling and successful season as City boss - winning the treble - family came first for Pep.
He took Cristina and their kids on a trip of a lifetime to visit to Egypt.
Maria, son Marius, 21, and youngest daughter Valentina, 16, joined their parents to tour Cairo and Luxor and visit the Sphinx and Great Pyramid of Giza.
Wearing a white outfit and a red baseball cap bearing the letter P, Guardiola received a special ‘Pharaoh’ trophy in photos taken by officials at the Ministry of Tourism.
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Showing a family that all pull the same way together, they were all dressed in neutral shades of white as they beamed for photos.
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While Pep and Cristina have split, this kind of showing points to a more amicable resolution.
That can only be for the benefit of Pep, Cristina, Maria, Marius, and Valentina moving forward.
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