FC Barcelona - Part 3

By grvadmin

Tito Vilanova

Tito was pep assistant for the B team and for the first team and is no stranger to the players. Tito knows his football and personally I believe he would off taken Barcelona that step further.

Vilanova started his coaching career in 2003–04, being in charge of Tercera División outfit, FC Palafrugell, and suffering relegation to Primera Catalana.

After working as technical director at Terrassa FC he was appointed assistant manager at FC Barcelona B, under manager Pep Guardiola, with the club in the fourth division.

In the 2008 summer, after leading the reserve side to promotion to Segunda Division B, the pair were assigned to the first team, replacing Dutch duo Frank Rijkaard and Johan Neeskens.

His first season at the Camp Nou was the most successful in Barcelona’s history, with the club winning six major trophies, becoming the first team in Spain to win the domestic cup, league and European club titles (the treble) in the same season.

On 27 April 2012, at the press conference in which Barcelona confirmed Guardiola’s departure, it was also announced that Vilanova would be his successor. On 15 June, he signed a two-year contract with to be the new manager of arguably the biggest club in the world FC Barcelona.
Tito health problems.

On 19 December 2012, Barcelona announced that Vilanova was suffering from parotid gland cancer for the second time. He was first diagnosed a year earlier on 22 November of the previous year. Jordi Roura would take over until Tito recovered from illness.

Vilanova underwent surgery on 20 December, subsequently being in chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment for around six weeks.. Vilanova returned home to Spain on 25 March.

Tito managed his first game back against French team PSG at Paris an exiting prospect and a very good match with the game finishing 2-2. Vilanova returned to league action against Majorca at the Nou Camp with no Messi due to injury, but Fabregas and Alexis took the spotlight as they completed a 5-0 win and were in full control to win La Liga the first trophy under Tito. Tito equaled the record points in La Liga which was previously set by Jose Mourinho the season before.

Summer 2013

The club knew there could be a possibility that Tito Vilanova could resign in the summer. They drew up a shortlist of mangers which included Swansea Manger Michael Laudrup, Guus Hiddink, Tottenham manager Andre Villas Boas. The decision was left to Tito’s wife, if she felt that Tito couldn’t carry on, she would call it. Unfortunately she did, but Tito’s health comes first. From CL Soccer get well soon Tito.

The FC Barcelona president Sandro Rosell made the decision Gerardo Martino would take over.