Simona Guatieri, the ex-wife of Senegalese footballer Keita Baldé, has opened up about the affair that ended her marriage. The affair involved Argentine showgirl Wanda Nara, who was married to footballer Mauro Icardi at the time. The affair was made public during the couple's public arguments, leading Guatieri to file a lawsuit alongside her ex-husband.
"I was devastated, I went through therapy to get help," Guatieri told Italian television show Verissimo. She explained that while she has forgiven Baldé, she is still unsure if they can reconcile. "I'm in love with my husband, but sometimes reason must prevail over this feeling. I'm sure he understood that you can't play with feelings."
Guatieri also spoke about the public nature of the affair, which she found particularly hurtful. "I was newly married, I loved my husband, we had two young children, and out of shame, I didn't want to make drastic decisions." She revealed that Icardi had later sent her messages about another encounter between Nara and Baldé in Dubai, but she wasn't sure if he was serious. "Icardi decided to make the whole thing public, even though I begged him not to, because there were children involved. I didn't want my children to be ashamed of me one day when they watched TV or read newspapers."
Guatieri ultimately decided to separate from Baldé, stating, "I loved my husband, I was in love with him, but I couldn't accept all this. I don't justify it, but I can understand that he had a moment of weakness. What I don't justify is airing such private matters in public."
The separation was difficult for Guatieri, who revealed she sought therapy and medication to help her cope. She has no doubts about Nara and Icardi's role in the affair, stating, "I think the lady speaks for herself. We sued Wanda and Mauro because we couldn't accept how this story was made public. We are totally different, we prefer to wash our dirty laundry at home. To Icardi, I say focus on football and don't think about the gossip."