Pep Guardiola Breaks Down Revealing Divorce to Manchester City Players
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola opened up about the end of his marriage to Cristina Serra during a tough spell for the team, a new documentary reveals. The moment happened amid a challenging run where City lost nine of 12 matches.
In a dressing room at Juventus's Allianz Stadium after a 2-0 Champions League loss, Guardiola delivered a heartfelt speech to reignite his players' spirit. He compared the fading passion in his team to the breakdown of his long-term relationship.
Raw Confession Before Public Announcement
His revelation came in December 2024, weeks before the divorce was made public. Few close friends were aware at that time. Guardiola told his squad, "Guys, I want to confess something. I'm f*ing divorced from the most beautiful woman on your planet. My wife. My ex-wife."
"I love her unbelievably! But we lost the passion. For many reasons, we lost the passion. I love her? Yeah, absolutely. She loves me? Yeah. But we lost the passion."
He challenged the players to ask themselves why they play football – is it just playing or driven by something inside? "Where is the passion? In your life, whatever you do, do it with passion. I don't want good players. I want players with passion," he said.
Team Struggles and Recovery
Despite the powerful message, City’s poor form continued initially, with defeats to Manchester United and Aston Villa. Still, after the New Year, their performance picked up, resulting in a top-three finish in the league and an FA Cup final appearance.
Documentary Explores Personal and Professional Challenges
The four-part Prime Video series A Beautiful Obsession chronicles Guardiola’s last two years at City, frequently highlighting his divorce. The manager was with Serra for 30 years and married in 2014. They lived apart for five years before the split, as Serra moved back to Barcelona with their youngest daughter in 2019.
Guardiola also reflected on his need to find more stability in his personal life during this period, which overlapped with some of the toughest moments in his career at City.
