Pep Guardiola and his wife Cristina Serra "are still estranged" and "will remain so" unless something dramatic occurs, according to reports from Spain.
The Manchester City manager's relationship status has been the subject of speculation after he was spotted visiting Barcelona twice since news of their split became public in January.
During his visits to the Catalan capital, Guardiola spent time with Cristina and their youngest daughter.
Despite rumours of a potential reconciliation, however, journalists who originally broke the story of their separation have now dismissed the possibility of the couple getting back together. The pair had been together for 30 years before their shock split.
Pep Guardiola seated with his wife Cristina and his daughter Maria on day six of the 2024 Wimbledon
PA
Barcelona-based newspaper El Nacional had previously reported after his second reunion with Cristina that they were prepared to ‘give each another chance’ and claimed ‘all was not lost in their marriage’, with the couple spotted attending the theatre together with their daughter following their separation.
These public appearances fuelled speculation about a possible reconciliation between the former Barcelona footballer and his wife.
However, well-respected Spanish showbiz reporters Lorena Vasquez and Laura Fa have now contradicted these claims.
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Pep Guardiola with his wife Cristina Serra
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Vasquez had previously revealed on a Spanish TV show in February that the couple had launched "amicable" divorce proceedings using the same lawyer.
"As the talk of conciliation was so strong we have continued to investigate," Laura Fa said on the Mamarazzis podcast.
Her colleague Lorena Vasquez added: "A lot of this has come about one of the visits Pep made to Barcelona when a photographer managed to get a photo of him."
The journalists confirmed Guardiola spent three days in Barcelona and slept for at least two nights in the house he bought with Cristina, which has apparently led to confusion about their relationship status.
"What we know is that the separation is continuing its course and there's no reconciliation and as far as Cristina is concerned there's no attempt at reconciliation," Vasquez explained.
"She was the one who sparked the split and gave Pep a sort of ultimatum and he could still be trying to come to terms with the situation."
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Pep Guardiola with the Community Shield trophy and family wife Cristina Serra and children Valentina, Maria and Marius Guardiola
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Fa added: "The house Pep spends time in when he is in Barcelona is still the family home and will be the place he comes to when he returns to the city to see his children - Pep and Cristina continue to have a good relationship."
"The thing is that when there's a good relationship between a couple who have split, it can sometimes cause confusion," Fa noted.
The journalists' investigation suggests that while the pair maintain an amicable relationship for family reasons, their romantic relationship has ended.
Guardiola, who has been managing Manchester City since 2016, appears to be adjusting to the new family dynamic.
The couple's daughter continues to live in their Barcelona home, which explains Guardiola's visits to the property.
Despite the end of their three-decade relationship, both the City boss and Serra seem committed to maintaining a cordial family environment.
