Thierry Henry claims Pep Guardiola is 'not well mentally' after shock split from wife Cristina Serra as Man City crisis continues

This season has been particularly challenging for Guardiola, both professionally and personally. City have been plunged into a crisis of form and confidence, with their latest setback coming in the form of a humiliating 5-1 defeat to Arsenal. Despite doing just enough to make it through to the Champions League knockout stage play-offs, the defending Premier League champions have struggled domestically, as they sit 12 points adrift of current league leaders Liverpool after managing only four victories in their last ten league games.

City’s rough patch comes at a time when Guardiola’s personal life has also been in turmoil. Last month, it was reported that Guardiola and Cristina Serra, his wife of 36 years, had decided to go their separate ways. Reports from Spanish outlet Sport suggest that one of the decisive factors in the couple’s separation was Guardiola’s decision to extend his contract with Manchester City until 2027. Their family had reportedly planned to relocate to the United Arab Emirates, but when Guardiola chose to continue his managerial tenure in England, Serra decided to put an end to the marriage.

Henry, who played under Guardiola at Barcelona, spoke about the emotional toll personal struggles can have on a football figure constantly in the spotlight. Speaking on Sky Sports after City’s heavy defeat to Arsenal, the Gunners legend shared his sympathy for his former coach, saying: "Do I feel sorry about what's happening to Man City and Pep? Yeah I do, in one thing. It’s not easy to deal with what Pep has to deal with outside of football. I went through that when I went to Barcelona. It's not easy to deal with stuff like that, when you're not well mentally.

“You can see that he's not his usual self. I had to deal with it when I went to Barcelona, I can tell you it's not easy. No one would like to deal with that while you have to perform all the time. So I think we can understand. Now if you go back on the field, it's not good enough. I don't think that they can cope whenever a team can deal with playing them all the way to ninety minutes and challenge them and look them in their eyes all the way.”

Guardiola first met Cristina Serra when he was just 18 years old, and the couple share three children—Maria (24), Marius (22), and Valentina (17). Their relationship has been central to Guardiola’s life, but cracks had reportedly been forming for years. According to The Sun, Guardiola made a trip to Barcelona in October to meet Serra. The two were spotted at Bodega Sepulveda, one of the manager’s favourite restaurants, but a waiter described their interaction as “tense.”

Despite the personal struggles, Guardiola remains determined to turn around City’s fortunes in the Premier League. His side currently sits fifth in the table, an unfamiliar position for a team that has dominated English football in recent years. After the Arsenal mauling, City will now shift their attention to the FA Cup, where they face Leyton Orient in a fourth-round clash on Saturday. Guardiola will be hoping to use the competition as a springboard to regain momentum as City aim to re-establish themselves as a major trophy contenders.