EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS
Carla Pereyra couldn’t be more different from the stereotype of a football Wag.
Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone’s wife is an ex-model, but she’s no fan of bling, logos or a life of leisure.
Argentine-born like her husband, she started work at 18 and has a demanding career of her own. She trained in construction techniques, art and communication, living in London and New York as well as Spain before meeting Diego ten years ago.
These days, alongside caring for the couple’s two daughters, Francesca, seven, and Valentina, four, Carla works full-time in property renovation with her company My Location.
And houses aren’t just her business,they’re also her passion – something that shines through in the stunning home she’s created for her family.
Their modern villa near Madrid is certainly stylish, but it is centred on comfort and quality time spent together.
At its heart is a huge living room, where floor-to-ceiling windows bring the outside in, while in the garden there are plots where the kids help grow vegetables, a barbecue where Diego cooks Argentine feasts and, naturally, not only a pool, but a small football pitch, too.
Oh, and it’s all eco-friendly, with solar panels making the most of the Spanish sun.
Carla, how did your interest in architecture and interiors start?
“My family has always been involved in property. My grandfather was an architect and my father designed our house in Buenos Aires himself. I lean more to the artistic side, but I also spent five years in a technical school, training as a master builder. That’s why I know how to read plans. Apart from that, I really like design and, through travel and work, you keep learning.
“I’m very restless – I’m passionate about what I do and I put my soul into everything. Sometimes I feel I can’t stand still. I go around the house thinking: ‘I’m going to change this,’ and by the next day, I’ve t
