Pep Guardiola appeared to reconcile with his estranged wife Cristina Serra as she joined him for his final match in charge of Manchester City.
Serra joined the Guardiola family photo and the outgoing manager called her an ‘exceptional woman’ in his speech to fans at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola and Serra, a fashion entrepreneur, met back in 1994 and married in 2014, but news of their shock split broke in January last year.
Manchester City lost 2-1 to Aston Villa in Guardiola’s final match in charge, with his 95-year-old father Valentin watching on.
‘Yesterday my dad turned 95-years-old, woo,’ he said.
‘Maybe he doesn’t realise, but I’m pretty sure Cris [Serra] – an exceptional woman – and my kids realise in many, many years that the name of my family will be here for many years!’
Pep Guardiola called his estranged wife Cristina Serra an ‘exceptional woman’ in his speech
The outgoing Manchester City boss looked emotional on Sunday as the club celebrated him
Guardiola and Serra (left) began divorce proceedings in 2024 but reports in Spain suggest they may reconcile their marriage
City are renaming the North Stand to The Pep Guardiola Stand. Newly developed and expanded, it reopened in full on Sunday.
Serra joined Guardiola for the occasion along with their daughters, Maria and Valentina, as well as their son Marius and other loved ones.
Fashion boss Serra lived with her husband in England before returning to Spain three years ago.
Last year, it was reported that the pair began divorce proceedings in 2024 after 30 years together, with Serra upset by her husband’s decision to sign a new contract at City until 2027.
But reports last year suggested that the couple are trying to reconcile their marriage and Guardiola has been linked with work in international football – which would allow him to spend more time in Barcelona.
‘Pep Guardiola and Cristina Serra still wear their wedding rings,’ insider Maria Lapiedra told EN Blau in April 2025. ‘They’re trying to reconcile. He came to her house for three days this Easter and stayed the night there.
‘He’s saying he could be in Manchester and come see her on a private plane in Barcelona once a week, then leave again. She wanted to separate because he secretly renewed his contract, without speaking to Cristina, but Pep wants to stay with her.’
Moreover, according to The Sun, Guardiola is eyeing up a luxury £13.5million property in Barcelona to move into this summer.
The lavish new-build home boasts a swimming pool, sea views, a gym and a jacuzzi, and is situated in the city’s exclusive Pedralbes neighbourhood.
It is also just 100 yards from the marital home he shared with Serra, though according to Spanish outlet Antena 3, Serra has moved out of the £8.5million marital home to a different property in the Eixample area.
Daily Mail Sport exclusively revealed the bombshell news earlier this month that, after 10 trophy-laden years in Manchester, Guardiola is leaving City for pastures new – and so it has transpired.
