Sofia Vergara and her husband Joe Manganiello have called it quits after seven years of marriage. The fan-favorite couple has opened up about their divorce, asking fans to be respectful at this time, following rumors about struggles in their romantic relationship in recent days, following Sofia’s vacation in Italy.

The pair made the announcement in a new statement to Page Six. “We have made the difficult decision to divorce,” the two stars wrote. “As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.”

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A close source to the pair previously said that they had been “growing apart for a while now and are taking some distance from each other to contemplate their future,” amid Sofia’s recent trip to Italy, to celebrate her 51st birthday. Fans of the couple also started to speculate about the status of their relationship after Joe’s recent activity on Instagram, simply writing “Feliz Cumpleaños Sofía.”

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“Wondering where her husband is, he hasn’t shown up in any of the photos or videos,” one person wrote on social media, pointing out that the couple had not traveled together, and the actress was celebrating her birthday with friends in Europe. “Joe, I hope you guys are ok, that was a very different happy birthday wish to your wife, compared to previous ones!” someone else commented at the time.