PEP TALK
Inside Pep Guardiola’s £100m empire as Man City boss splits from wife – from £2.7m pad to ‘wrecked’ £460k car collection
His prized restaurant has a VERY acclaimed chef at the helm
FOOTBALL boss Pep Guardiola is used to dominating the football world, guiding Manchester City to trophy after trophy.
But sadly, things off the pitch are not going so smoothly, following his reported split from wife Cristina Serra, who he has been with for more than 30 years.
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Pep owns multiple luxury properties, has had numerous brand sponsorship deals and earns an eye-watering £19.7million a year from the Blues.
But it remains to be seen how the couple, who wed in 2014, might split his fortune if they divorce, amid reports from Spain that they are still “cordial, stable and friendly”.
It has been reported by Barcelona-based newspaper that the pair came to a decision to separate in December while they were together in Pep's homeland.
Manchester City declined to comment about the split rumours.
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Pep is said to have met his wife when he was just 18 years old, while Cristina was 16 and working in her family's clothes store called Serra Claret.
Both certainly have a good eye for the finer things in life, with Pep admitting it is his wife who often picks his pricey match-day outfits.
Here we look at Guardiola's gigantic £100million fortune, which includes a restaurant, luxury cars and a designer wardrobe that rivals most models.
Stylish football
Pep started off his career playing for Barcelona from the age of just 17, eventually debuting for their first team in 1990.
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It didn't take long for him to be snapped up by fashion designers and by 18 he was modelling for designer Antonio Miro - which led to him meeting his wife.
It was reported that every item from the Catalonian designer sold out just a few days after the event.
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It is, perhaps, unsurprising that Pep has become known for his style at the Etihad Stadium, often sporting turtle-necks and branded jumpers instead of always going for stuffy suits.
Among his outfits is his signature grey ‘hoodigan’, which was made by Theresa May’s favourite Italian designer Herno and reportedly costs £1,200.
But's he not always the one behind these iconic outfits.
He said: “My wife is the best in the world at many things, but especially in fashion. So she says normally to me, don't wear this or wear that, so I follow her.
“I am smart enough to know that when people are much, much better than me, follow their advice, and hers is really good.”
After retiring from his playing career, Pep made his name as a superstar manager at Barcelona and Bayern Munich before signing in 2016 for Manchester City, netting himself a mega pay-day.
While at Bayern Munich, he was reported to be bringing in £15million per year, netting him a cool £45million for the three years at the Bundesliga club.
Pep is currently paid £19.7million a year, in a newly-extended deal that expires in 2026.
Pulling power
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Pep reportedly started on £12million back in 2016, and has topped his income up on the side with some smart sponsorship deals.
His most eye-popping brand partnership is with Puma, who are also the kit sponsor for Manchester City, in a deal worth £650million.
Guardiola is thought to have netted seven figures for the personal collaboration.
Previous brand deals have included Nissan, clothing brand Gore-Tex and - more controversially - being an ambassador for the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
Home game
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Since moving to Manchester back in 2016, Pep has made the city a home and splashed out on a truly lavish flat.
He spent £2.7million on the luxury home in City Suites, which is said to be in the “most desirable address” in Salford.
It isn't hard for him to embrace his passion for fashion as it's next to designer shops as well as high-end restaurants and wine bars.
The unusual residence - considering most footballers in the area opt for a sprawling mansion in leafy Cheshire - is in a private section of a 16-floor hotel.
The property gives Pep access to an 18-metre indoor pool, an exquisite spa and sauna facilities as well as a 24-hour gym.
Other benefits included two private parking spots, a 24-hour concierge team, dry-cleaning services and access to a private executive lounge.
It's not his only home. Pep also snapped up an 8,000-square-foot mansion in Pedarlbes, the most expensive area in Barcelona, for a mere £8.55million back in 2021.
The gorgeous white house has breathtaking views of the city thanks to its position in the foothills of Sant Pere Màrtir mountain.
It features a spacious living area, a high-end kitchen, a large private swimming pool and balconies across two storeys to take advantage of the picturesque landscape.
While he has two luxurious homes, he hasn't shied away from renting pricy places too.
During a one-year sabbatical in 2012, he splashed out on a fancy New York flat that set him back £19,500-per-month and overlooked Central Park.
The Upper West Side abode used to be the home of other celebs including X-Files actor David Duchovny and Barbra Streisand.
It boasted four bedrooms, bathrooms, and a study where Pep was said to have learned and practised German before taking over at Bayern Munich.
Food for thought
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And it's not just homes that Pep's acquired over the years.
He is a co-owner of Tast Catala in Manchester. The eatery opened its doors in 2018 and now has chef Paco Perez - whose restaurants have four Michelin stars between them - at the helm creating the menus.
The acclaimed establishment focuses on bringing a taste of the Costa Brava to Manchester and can host up to 120 diners.
While it won't break the bank to dine there, it's certainly not cheap, with mains costing more than £20.
Pep's also invested in another passion of his: wine.
It was reported in 2021 that he had forked out £200,000 on a Spanish vineyard’s finest vintage bottles and reportedly drinks a glass or two after football matches.
Friends told that he spent as much as £500,000 on fancy reds including the very best Riojas, prized Priorat and Ribera del Duero labels.
A source said: “His main interest is that of a collector of fine vintages, and he sees the value of them as investments… Not only does he enjoy a glass of wine, he really knows his stuff too.”
Drive for success
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Outside of his property portfolio, Pep has invested in some rather expensive motors over the years.
And while they're said to lose money the second you drive them off, the football boss has certainly managed to lower the value even further with a series of bumps and scrapes.
Since moving to Manchester in February 2016, Pep has damaged a series of cars collectively worth £460,000.
They included a £200,000 silver Bentley, GTX700, a £150,000 Range Rover, an £80,000 black Mercedes GLE and a £30,000 Mini Cooper.
A source said: “Pep is brilliant at many things, but driving doesn’t appear to be one of them, he has struggled with the roads in Manchester and had a couple of bumps.”
Pep's Manchester City record
After joining Manchester City in February 2016, Pep had his first season without winning a trophy since he went into club management.
The team's form declined in the second half of the season despite a promising start.
Things started to look up in the 2017-18 season after Pep identified the issues in defence the team had.
Pep guided City to a record-breaking 100 points and the title, earning him a contract keeping him at the club until 2021.
Under his guidance, Manchester City have won the Premier League five times and the Champions League once.
They've also taken home a FIFA Club World Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, two FA Cup wins, four Carabao Cups and two FA Community Shields.
He has also been voted Premier League Manager of the Season four times.
This season they are currently sixth in the Premier League, so it doesn't look like Pep will be adding another title to the cabinet.
Authors Lu Martin and Pol Ballus wrote in the 2019 book Pep’s City: The Making Of A Superteam: “Today he’s behind the wheel of his black Mercedes.
"He has a reputation from his Barcelona days of being a hapless driver and this is his fourth car he has owned since coming to Manchester.
“His wing mirrors don’t survive for long and he’s also managed to fill a diesel Range Rover with petrol and mangle a silver Bentley.”
Time is money
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His expensive tastes don't end with cars and clothes - he also owns an array of pricey watches.
Among them was a Richard Mille (RM) RM 27-01 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal, which he was pictured with on a golf course, that costs around £590,000 due to there only being ten in the world.
Other ultra-expensive timepieces seen on his wrist include a £455,000 RM 022 Tourbillon Aerodyne, a £75,000 RM 010 ‘Manchester City’ and the RM 004 All Gray, which costs more than £150,000.
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Last year Pep was seen wearing a RM 67-02 watch - they typically cost £228,000 but his timepiece was a United Arab Emirates edition, which is not for sale.
He has also been seen sporting a £55,000 Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Chronograph 5905P and a £12,500 Rolex Cellini.
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