Pep Guardiola used the personal pain of his divorce from Cristina Serra as a motivational tactic during team talks with Manchester City players amid a challenging stretch of the 2024-25 season. The manager, who was experiencing a run of nine defeats in 12 games, shared the news of his separation with his squad in an effort to ignite their performance.
Guardiola revealed his divorce to his players weeks before it became public knowledge, in an emotional address delivered at the Allianz Arena after a 2-0 Champions League loss to Juventus. The admission was captured for the Amazon Prime Video documentary, 'A Beautiful Obsession,' which chronicles Guardiola's final two years at the club.
"Guys, I want to confess something," Guardiola told his team. "I'm f****** divorced from the most beautiful woman in 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. How do you play football? Because you [just] play or because you have something inside? 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."
Manel Estiarte, a confidante of Guardiola and head of player protocol, explained that the team was concerned about the manager's demeanor. "Because Pep was anxious. He was sad. He was different. And only I knew the reason," Estiarte said. "And I said to them, 'please you have to understand. You’re not playing with a coach who can be a bit impulsive, who can be a bit intense. You’re seeing a human being. He’s getting a divorce.' 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 documentary series reportedly features Guardiola's discussions about the personal upheaval. Serra lived with Guardiola for the first three years of his tenure at the Etihad Stadium before moving back to Barcelona with their youngest daughter in 2019. The couple, who married in 2014 and share three children, had been living apart for five years prior to their divorce.
Following a 2-0 defeat by Bayer Leverkusen, where Guardiola had made significant team changes, he again referenced his personal life in a strong address to his players. "I live my life, my divorce… and my family is away for all of you. What do you give back? The f****** performance you have done, all of you. It’s a disgrace, guys," he stated.
Despite the difficult period, Manchester City went on to secure a top-three finish in the league and reach the FA Cup final during the 2024-25 season. 'A Beautiful Obsession' is set to launch on Prime Video in the UK and Ireland on August 19, 2026.