For coach Pep Guardiola to have a full life and career like today, it is impossible not to mention the role of two special women with Pep. It was his mother Dolors Sala Carrio and his wife Cristina Serra.
Diligent mother
Pep’s mother Dolors Sala Carrio died last year after contracting Covid-19, aged 82. It is really a great loss for the strategist who is leading Man City. Mrs. Dolors has dedicated her life to her husband and children.
When he was still in school, Dolors was struck by the love of a classmate named Valentin. It was Dolors’ first and only love. Dolors and Valentin got married and had four children, respectively: Francesca, Pere, Olga and Pep.
Mrs. Dolors used to work in a textile factory. And Mr. Valentin worked as a bricklayer. Every day, Valentin has to work hard at the construction site for more than 10 hours. Dolors always takes care of the weaving factory while taking care of the housework and taking care of the children.
In the 70s of the last century, the textile industry in Spain was in crisis. With a large family after Pep was born in 1971, Mrs. Dolors decided to quit her job at the textile factory to stay at home to focus on the role of housewife and childcare.
Although she was only around with the kitchen and took care of her 4 mischievous children, Mrs. Dolors was not irritable. She also created maximum conditions for Pep to pursue his passion for playing football. When he was a kid, Pep played football all day without getting bored or tired. Every time Pep was so busy playing football that he forgot to eat, Dolors only gently reminded him: “Stop playing football for 5 minutes to go home to eat, son!”. For Pep, those “Go home, child” calls from Mrs. Dolors carry more weight than any whip.
It is not without reason that when Pep was first admitted to La Masia furnace, the first person Pep wanted to share about the joy of his true dream was Mrs. Dolors. Pep exclaimed: “Mom, look at this, now every day when I wake up, just open the window and the Camp Nou pitch appears right in front of my eyes.” Later, what needed to be shared most, Pep was used to telling Mrs. Dolors first.
Courageous wife
At the age of 18, Pep met the second special woman in his life. During a visit to the Sierra-Claret fashion store in the Manresa area of Catalunya, Pep met supermodel Cristina Serra, the daughter of the store’s owners. The customer in shorts and clothes was stunned because of his love for the small owner of the fashion store. Since then, Pep has been shopping more often at the Sierra-Claret fashion store. And Pep fell in love with Cristina all the time.
Like Mrs. Dolors, Cristina is rich in sacrifices for her husband and children. Loving Pep, Cristina gave up her modeling career to focus on the role of the woman of the family. She and Pep have 3 children together: Maria, Marius and Valentina. With Cristina caring for her children, Pep is completely assured to focus on her profession.
Having been together for more than 30 years, Pep and his wife are very compatible. Pep and Cristina are in sync in many ways, from football and fashion to art, architecture and tourism. In the summer of 2015, Pep’s family used to travel to Vietnam together. Pep’s elegant fashion style has a great contribution to Cristina’s construction.
Knowing Cristina has a special influence on Pep, the teams that want Pep’s signature all seek to lobby and influence Cristina. Man City successfully lured Pep also thanks to this “hit the rear”. At that time, sporting director Txiki Begiristain asked his wife to wholeheartedly encourage Cristina to “try and enjoy life in Manchester with her family”. Begiristain’s wife also enthusiastically took Cristina to choose a school for Cristina and Pep’s children since Pep had not yet come to England.
With Cristina, Pep only sometimes feels a bit “too burned” about the ball. For example, there were times when Cristina kept asking Pep why he didn’t keep the winning lineup in the previous match but had to change the personnel in the next match. Pep happily shared: “At times like that, explaining to her is more tiring than telling Arjen Robben why he has to be on the bench.”
Be attentive to your child
During her lifetime, Mrs. Dolors was always very psychological with Pep. Wherever she went, she never revealed her identity as Pep’s mother. She always thinks about how to maintain maximum privacy for her children.
Psychology with husband
After leaving Barcelona in the summer of 2012, Pep took a break from coaching for a year. Pep’s temporary departure from the military job is because he followed Cristina’s advice. She wanted Pep to take a break to regain balance, reduce the load and relieve the pressure. “My wife’s will is God’s will”, Pep has never regretted taking a break from coaching for a year.
