PEP Guardiola told Man City players of his marriage split in a furious team talk demanding they show the “passion” he had lost, a new documentary reveals.
He tells them after a Champions League defeat: “Guys – I want to confess something.
Pep Guardiola told Man City players of his marriage split from Cristina Serra in a furious team talk, the pair together at Wimbledon in 2024 Credit: Rex
The then Man City boss addresses his team in the dressing room, demanding they show the ‘passion’ he had lost Credit: 2026 Manchester City
“I’m f***ing divorced from the most beautiful woman on your planet. It’s my wife – my ex-wife. I love her unbelievably. But we lost the passion.
“For many reasons, we lost the passion. I love her absolutely.
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“She loves me, yeah, but we lost the passion. And it’s how you play football. You play because of something inside — but where is the passion?
“In your life whatever you are going to do, do it with passion. I don’t want good players, I want players with passion.”
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Guardiola quizzed on TV with scratch marks on his faceCredit: Refer to source
The documentary shows him referring to his heartache again after a 2-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in November 2025 Credit: The Times
Guardiola is seen revealing his heartbreak over his December 2024 split from Cristina Serra on four-part series A Beautiful Obsession, starting on Amazon’s Prime Video tomorrow.
His side had just lost 2-0 at Italian giants Juventus. Weeks earlier, he caused concern when he was interviewed with apparent nervous scratch marks on his face.
The Spaniard, who quit as City boss at the end of last season, had been married for ten years.
Cristina moved to Manchester with their three kids when he took over at City in 2016.
Guardiola celebrates with Cristina and daughter Maria after City’s victory in the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match Credit: Getty
Cristina is understood to have been angered when Guardiola seemingly reneged on plans to leave City and instead signed a contract extension in November 2024 Credit: Manchester City FC
Cracks began to show in 2019 when the designer returned to Barcelona, leaving Guardiola alone in a city centre apartment.
She is understood to have been further angered when he seemingly reneged on plans to leave City and instead signed a contract extension in November 2024.
News of their separation was first reported in Spanish newspapers in January 2025. The documentary shows him referring to his heartache again after a 2-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in November 2025.
He tells the players: “I leave my life, my divorce, my family is away — and everything for all of you.
The pair in happier times Credit: Getty
The Spaniard, who quit as City boss at the end of last season, had been married for ten years Credit: Alamy
“And what do you give back. The f***ing performance you’ve just done — all of you.
“It’s a disgrace, guys, and you know what’s going to happen. You will have another manager.”
A source said: “The footage lays bare the true extent of Pep’s feelings towards Cristina.”
Guardiola, 55, is understood to be hopeful that he and Cristina, 53, may yet get back together.
Guardiola is seen revealing his heartbreak over his December 2024 split from Cristina Serra on four-part series A Beautiful Obsession, starting on Amazon’s Prime Video tomorrow Credit: Alamy
Cristina moved to Manchester with their three kids when he took over at City in 2016 Credit: Manchester City FC
Spanish journalist Lorena Vazquez hinted: “They’re leaving the door open to reconciliation. It could be that one day, when Pep retires and returns to Barcelona, they could resume their relationship.”
And his confidant Manuel Estiarte, City’s director of First Team Operations, tells the documentary it was important for players to understand what their manager had been going through.
He says: “I said to the team, ‘Please, you have to understand. You’re not playing with a coach who can be a bit impulsive, who can be a bit intense. Who can sometimes be a bit up and down.
“You’re seeing a human being. He’s getting a divorce. This is a topic I don’t want to talk about too much because it’s personal.
“But it was necessary for the team not only to visualise Pep as a manager but for the first time to see Pep as a human being.”
The camera then cuts to an interview with Guardiola in his office. He says: “In my life I’ve made a lot of changes lately, right? So I’ve got divorced and I have to settle a bit.”
When asked by the interviewer “So you’re a happy man?” he responds: “In my job, yeah”.
