Pep Guardiola’s eldest daughter has broken her silence following the Manchester City boss's shock split with his wife Cristina Serra.

In her first ever interview, Maria Guardiola, a model and influencer, spoke lovingly about her parents - joking that she had inherited her father’s ‘stubbornness’ while her ‘confidence and sense of independence’ comes from her mother.

The 24-year-old's mother and father, who were together for three decades and married in 2014, are yet to comment on the separation after it was revealed on Monday night.

Maria, who has two younger siblings Marius, 22, and Valentina, 17, grew up bouncing around from city to city - being born in Barcelona before moving to Rome, New York, Munich, Manchester and now London.

‘Following my dad around the world to watch games gave me special memories and brought the family together,’ she explained to Vanity Fair.

‘I feel incredibly grateful for the experiences I've had,’ she added. ‘Although it was sometimes a challenge, my parents made the transitions easier and helped my siblings and me take advantage of opportunities.’

Maria did not comment on her parent’s split and no reason for the divorce has been given, however, on Tuesday a friend of Pep’s told MailOnline his ‘workaholic’ tenandcies were to blame.

'I think the couple have drawn apart. She left Manchester about three years ago to return to Barcelona. That has taken its toll,’ the source, who asked not to be named, said.

'He is a total workaholic and not being involved in their family fashion business together may have affected their relationship too.'

Indeed back in 2016, the Man City boss acknowledged that sometimes he was left in his ‘own world’ thinking about his team’s tactical decision for the next game.

‘My family know that I am there but I am not there. Sometimes I’m at home but not at home,’ he told the Times in 2016. ‘They call ‘Pep, Pep’ but they know I am in my own world.’

Even while he was playing for Barcelona FC, his teammates called him ‘Perfecto’ due to his obsession with the game and his disapproval of his fellow players who put their social life first.

A few years ago his friend Manel Estiarte said: ‘You invite him for a meal in a restaurant, but after 32 minutes you can see his mind is already wandering.

‘He starts staring at the ceiling and, although he’s nodding as if he’s listening to you, he’s not looking at you. In actual fact he’s probably thinking about the opposition left-back, the marking scheme for the midfielder, how much the wingers can support the inside forwards.’

It is unclear when his daughter Maria carried out the interview with Vanity Fair, however, it is believed to have taken place after her parents decided to split.

Reflecting on how her father's career had shaped the family's life she added: 'My father was already playing when I was born. All our movements have focused on his career, first as a player and then as a coach.

'Soccer has shaped much of our family’s journey. In many ways, my family and I owe our lives and opportunities to this sport and, of course, to my father’s exceptional talent and passion.'

And as Pep’s career continued to flourish, winning a record four straight Premier League titles and a historic Champions League win, Cristina decided to continue on her family’s business back in Spain.

Cristina and the couple’s youngest child moved back to Barcelona in 2019 so that the Brazilian journalist turned fashion designer could help continue her family boutique Serra-Claret.

The boutique line, which stocks a number of expensive designer labels, was first opened in 1933.

In more recent times a number of celebrities have visited the stores, including Columbian singer Shakira and former Spanish football pro Andrés Iniesta.

Cristina and her sister Judith currently run the original store in Manresa, a town north of Barcelona, and a newer boutique in the centre of Barcelona.

Since moving back five years ago, Cristina has been living in a villa in Pedralbes, an exclusive neighbourhood in the hills surrounding Barcelona.

The property, which the couple bought in 2021 for £8.55million, lies within an enclave of three villas where neighbouring properties have sold previously for around £20million.

The villa, which was previously owned by Rafa Marquez, spreads over 8,000 square feet while the wider grounds cover 22,000 square feet and offers panoramic views of the city below.

It has a large pool, gym, wine cellar, cinema and is surrounded by gardens to ensure privacy.

It is here that Cristina and Valentina have been living for the past four years while Pep continues to live in his £2.7million bachelor pad in Salford.

Spanish news outlet El Confidencial described the mansion on Tuesday as ‘the perfect place for a separation without anyone discovering when you leave or enter’.

For years, the couple’s long distance relationship appeared to be working, with both travelling back and forth to see each other. Cristina and Pep were often pictured enjoying an evening out in Manchester.

But the distance appears to have taken its toll.

Prior to Cristina’s move back to Spain in 2018, in a rare interview Pep opened up about the loneliness of being a football manager, explaining he relied on his family support to get by.

‘Only at home I feel safe. I mean safe in terms of not being observed. I close the door and I feel safe,’ he told the BBC.

‘My job is demanding a lot. Cristina is an incredible woman, not just an incredible mother.

‘If we were talking about moving to New York, Munich and here, if she decides not to come, I won’t come. I will not be here, I cannot be alone in this kind of job without my family.’

A year later, however, the family were living in separate cities across the continent.

Cristina also would openly criticise Pep if she thought he made the wrong decision with a line-up or a tactical decision.

While managing Bayern Munich he told a press conference while smiling: ‘My wife is more complicated than Robben. Cristina sometimes complains about my tactical decisions.

‘She tells me to repeat the 11 with which I won the last match. To explain to her my system of rotation is more difficult than telling Robben, ‘Today you’re a substitute’.’

And just a year ago he credited Cristina with his fashion sense: 'My wife is the best in the world at many things, especially fashion.

'She says normally to me, don't wear this or wear that, so I follow. I'm smart enough to know when people are much better than me, follow their advice.'

The couple are said to have decided to separate in December, with their children already being aware of the decision before news broke.

The family are said to have spent Christmas together in the Pedralbes mansion before Pep returned to the UK.

The Spanish journalist who broke the news of Pep and Cristina’s marriage split insisted on Tuesday morning claimed there was no ‘third person’

Lorena Vazquez said: ‘It’s been a carefully-considered decision the couple discussed over several months.

‘They continue to have a cordial and affectionate relationship.

‘No-one else is involved. There are no third parties. We are going to carry on seeing them together.’