Chronicle Editor
BARCELONA. — Former Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova has died aged 45 following a battle with cancer that forced him to stand down at the end of last season, the club announced yesterday.
He took over at the Nou Camp ahead of the 2012-13 season having been Pep Guardiola’s assistant during the most successful period in Barca’s history in which they won three out of four La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues in 2009 and 2011.
Barcelona went on to make the best-ever start to a La Liga season with 18 wins from 19 games but, in December 2012, Vilanova was diagnosed with cancer for the second time.
It meant his assistant Jordi Roura had to take charge of the team on those occasions when he was undergoing treatment.
At the end of the season Vilanova announced he was resigning to concentrate on his recovery from the illness.
“Tito Vilanova has passed away today at the age of 45. It happened this afternoon as our former coach was not able to overcome a disease he has fought since 2011,” said Barcelona.
“The club wishes to express their deepest condolences to his family with whom it shares their pain in these moments as do fans, members of FC Barcelona and all the world of football and sport,” added a club statement.
Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi paid tribute to his former coach.
“Tito was the 1st person who had faith in me,” four-times World Player of the Year Messi said on his Twitter feed. “I was a substitute – then he started me for the Under 16s.”
Michel Platini, president of European soccer’s ruling body Uefa, also hailed Vilanova’s contribution to his old club.
“I was deeply saddened to hear the news of Tito Vilanova’s passing,” the former France playmaker told www.uefa.com.
“He was a great person and a fantastic coach who will always be remembered for his work at FC Barcelona. I send my condolences to Tito’s family and to the club.”
Vilanova, a midfielder came through Barca’s youth system but was let go in 1990, played for several lower league teams before finally getting his chance in the Spanish top flight with Celta Vigo where he played for three season in the mid-1990s.
It was as a coach though that he made his mark and he began working with the Barcelona youth teams, training future first team players like Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique and Cesc Fabregas.
After several seasons away from the Catalan club he returned in 2007 as assistant to Guardiola with the Barca B team.
The following season the pair took charge of the first team and Vilanova went on to play a key role in the club’s success.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid can take another huge step towards their first Spanish La Liga soccer title in 18 years when they travel to face Valencia at the Mestalla tomorrow.
Diego Simeone’s men need to win just three of their remaining four games to mathematically seal the championship.
However, Simeone’s task this weekend is complicated by one of his side’s most difficult away trips of the season falling between the two legs of Atletico’s Champions League semi-final against Chelsea.
Midfielder Jose Sosa, though, believes five days rest will be more than enough to ensure they are in the right condition to secure a ninth straight league win.
“The coaching staff are handling that aspect well with the players that have played the most minutes.
“Those that played on Tuesday will have a bit more rest in the days before the game to ensure they are ready to play at any moment,” he told a press conference on Thursday.
“We need to rest and give the second leg the attention the semi-finals of the Champions League deserves, but we need to maintain the same focus in La Liga because at this stage of the season we cannot relax.”
Fixtures
Today:
Granada v Rayo Vallecano (1400)
Getafe v Malaga (1600)
Real Madrid v Osasuna (1800)
Real Betis v Real Sociedad (2000)
Sunday
Espanyol v Almeria (1000)
Valencia v Atletico Madrid (1500)
Athletic Bilbao v Sevilla (1700)
Villarreal v Barcelona (1900)
Monday
Celta Vigo v Valladolid (2000). — AFP
Spanish Liga table ahead of the weekend’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):
Notes: Top four teams qualify for next season’s Champions League; fifth to seventh place teams. — Reuters.
Atletico Madrid 34 27 4 3 74 22 85
Barcelona 34 26 3 5 94 28 81
Real Madrid 33 25 4 4 94 32 79
Athletic Bilbao 34 18 8 8 59 37 62
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Sevilla 34 17 8 9 65 47 59
Real Sociedad 34 15 9 10 58 51 54
Villarreal 34 15 7 12 52 40 52
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Valencia 34 12 9 13 47 47 45
Espanyol 34 11 8 15 38 44 41
Malaga 34 11 8 15 37 43 41
Levante 34 10 11 13 30 41 41
Rayo Vallecano 34 12 4 18 42 71 40
Celta Vigo 34 11 7 16 40 51 40
Granada 34 11 4 19 30 50 37
Osasuna 34 9 8 17 29 54 35
Elche 34 8 11 15 27 46 35
Valladolid 33 6 14 13 32 50 32
—————————————
Getafe 34 8 8 18 29 51 32
Almeria 34 8 6 20 36 68 30
Real Betis 34 5 7 22 29 69 22
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