There’s been lots of discussion surrounding Pep Guardiola’s future at Manchester City, while plenty has been going on in his personal life too
Pep Guardiola’s influencer daughter has shone a light on her parents’ relationship as rumours swirl that the Manchester City manager’s wife has moved out of their family home.
Reports in Spain suggest cracks have deepened between Pep and long-term partner Cristina Serra in recent months as the Catalan coach nears a decade at the helm at the Etihad, where the 54-year-old has lifted six Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League trophy.
According to Spanish podcast Mamarazzis, the pair have lived apart since 2019, with the stresses and strains of a long-distance relationship beginning to take their toll.
Cristina lives in the couple’s native Barcelona, where she looks after her fashion brand Serra Claret, whereas Pep resides in a swanky £2.7m apartment in Salford.
Cristina reportedly got the hump after her other half backtracked on a promise to move to the UAE – instead signing a bumper new deal at City which ties him down to rainy Manchester until 2027.
After that, meetings between the couple dried up, with Mamarazzis saying the pair haven’t seen each other in a while. Now, a frustrated Cristina has upped sticks and moved out of the couple’s luxury £8.5 mansion in Barcelona.
According to Mamarazzis host Lorena Vazquez, the 52-year-old has moved alone to a small apartment in the trendy Eixample district of Spain’s second largest city. “It’s a modest home, compared to what she could have afforded,” she told Antena 3 programme Y Ahora Sonsoles.
But fears of a messy, no-holds-barred split appear wide of the mark. Vazquez added: “They’re leaving the door open to reconciliation. It could be that one day, when Pep retires from football and returns to Barcelona, they could resume their relationship. It’s a friendly, well-considered breakup without drama, fights or third parties involved.”
In fact, recent reports suggest that City are already preparing for life without their boss – with Chelsea ’s Enzo Maresca lined up to step into Pep’s sizeable shoes once he leaves.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Pep’s daughter Maria gave an insight into the personal life of one of football’s greatest ever minds. Thanks to her dad’s remarkable career both on the pitch and in the dugout, Maria has lived in Barcelona, Rome, Brescia, Qatar, Mexico, New York, Munich, Manchester and London.
She said: “Moving so frequently gave me a great deal of self-confidence, which I don’t think I could have gained in any other way at such a young age. I also fondly remember that sport was a big part of my childhood. Following my father around the world to watch matches created special memories and brought the family very close together.”
However, she also pulled back the curtain on some of the challenges her family have faced as a result. “Given the hectic pace of my parents’ careers, we didn’t get to see each other much,” she heartbreakingly said. “All our moves have revolved around his career, first as a player and then as a coach. Football has shaped much of our family’s journey.”