Guardiola’s emotional rock: Wife Cristina and family including daughter Maria

MAN CITY boss Pep Guardiola needs his family's support more than ever.

The Catalan tactician, 53, cut a frustrated figure after watching his side throw away a 3-0 lead in the Champions League against Feyenoord.

Incredibly, the Premier League champions are now winless in six games and Guardiola is literally scratching his head.

In a post-match interview he was seen with scratches on his head and nose.

Guardiola was questioned about how he got the cut on his nose and responded by saying: “My finger, here [makes a scratching motion]. My nail.

The Spaniard then joked that City's dismal form in recent weeks has driven him to self-harm, saying: “I want to hurt myself.”

Guardiola later apologized for his comments, insisting he was not making light of mental health issues.

In the wake of City's poor form and the worst period of Guardiola's career, he will have to lean on his wife and partner of 35 years, Cristina Serra.

While his children will also provide distraction from the stress of football management.

SunSport looks at the support team behind the world's greatest coach.

The lady

Pep met the beautiful Cristina in Catalonia when they were just starry-eyed teenagers.

She comes from a fashion family dynasty, which owns the Serra Claret boutique in Barcelona.

It was there that their paths first crossed.

Guardiola, then a youth star, was in the store doing a modeling shoot for the late Spanish designer Antonio Miro when he set his sights on his future wife.

Finally, in 2014, they walked down the aisle to a town hall on the outskirts of Barcelona.

Earlier this year he revealed that his wife is his fashion guru.

He said: “My wife is the best in the world at many things, but especially fashion. So she normally tells me don't wear this or wear that, so I follow her.

“I'm smart enough to know that if people are way better than me, I should take their advice, and hers is really good.”

When City taste success, Cristina is often seen with Guardiola at the Etihad.

She happily poses with the trophies his team has won, along with their children.

Model daughter

Pep's eldest child is daughter Maria, 23, who left on her own.

With almost a million followers on Instagram, she shares her glamorous lifestyle.

Unsurprisingly, the beauty is a model and has appeared in sexy bikini shoots for swimwear brand iBilovesyou.

She also reportedly once dated a football player.

In 2021, Maria was spotted with ex-Spurs star Dele Alli in a romantic clinch.

As we exclusively revealed, the couple didn't care who saw them as they kissed at the Cloud 9 rooftop bar in front of the DJ booth.

A few months later they were spotted having lunch at trendy Mayfair hotspot Novikov, before grabbing a coffee at Starbucks.

However, six months later, it was reported that Alli had split with Maria.

Family time

In 2023, after Pep's most grueling and successful season as City boss – winning the treble – family time was important.

Pep and Cristina took their three children on the trip of a lifetime to Egypt.

Maria, son Marius, 21, and youngest daughter Valentina, 16, accompanied their parents to explore Cairo and Luxor and visit the Sphinx and Great Pyramid of Giza.

Dressed in a white outfit and a red baseball cap with the letter P, Guardiola was presented with a special 'Pharaoh' trophy in photos taken by officials from the Ministry of Tourism.

Showing a family all standing in the same direction, they were all dressed in neutral shades of white as they beamed for photos.

They are a support system for Pep that never wanes.