Francesc 'Tito' Vilanova: The Disciple

His son with Nerman.

The former Bayern Munich coach was in Barcelona to present an award to the ex-Blaugrana boss on Monday and dedicated some special words to the Catalan, who is battling cancer
Former Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes paid tribute to ex-Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova in an emotional speech in the Catalan capital on Monday night.

Heynckes was a special guest at the annual Mundo Deportivo gala and the 68-year-old dedicated some special words to Tito, who won the award for best coach but stayed at home to continue with his battle against cancer.

With Vilanova absent, Heynckes presented the prize to Barca's sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta and read an emotive speech in immaculate Spanish.

"It's a great honour and a joy for me to be at this great gala and present this award to a distiniguished person: Tito Vilanova, " the former Bayern boss said. "With Tito, the team played fantastic football like in previous years."

And he added: "Tito is a great strategist. He's hard-working, reserved and brave - and he has a fluid relationship with the players.

"He is an example for the world of sport and the world in general - a gentleman. We wish you luck [in your recovery] - you deserve it. You're a champion of sport and in life - and in me you'll have a friend for life."

Heynckes also presented a gift to Zubizarreta for Vilanova on behalf of himself and Bayern's general manager Uli Hoeness.

"He summed up Tito in the way few have been able to," Zubizarreta said of Heynckes. "Tito couldn't be here [tonight] but is grateful to you all for this award. He is getting the care and attention he needs."

Heynckes' Bayern beat Vilanova's Barca in the semi-finals of the Champions League last season, en route to their treble success, before Tito's friend and former ally on the Camp Nou bench Pep Guardiola took charge of the German champions.

Tito Vilanova in serious condition as former Barcelona manager battles throat cancer

Former Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova is said to be in a serious condition in a clinic.
The 45-year-old was taken to the emergency room on Thursday for surgery after being admitted last week when his health worsened.
Vilanova has been battling cancer of the throat since November 2011 and National Radio says there have been gastric complications.
Ill health: Former Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova has been battling throat cancer for several years
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Ill health: Former Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova has been battling throat cancer for several years
He has been visited at the Chiron Clinic by friends and family.
The manager was forced to step down in the summer of 2013 after suffering a relapse of the disease.
His team won the title last season but Jordi Roura coached Barcelona for two months when Vilanova travelled to New York for cancer treatment.
The 45-year-old was replaced by Tata Martino last summer.
Learning from the best: Vilanova (left) was assistant to Pep Guardiola during his time in the hotseat at Barca
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Learning from the best: Vilanova (left) was assistant to Pep Guardiola during his time in the hotseat at Barca
Vilanova had a tumour removed from his parotid gland in November 2011, being treated by chemotherapy and radio therapy.
He was appointed Barcelona manager at the end of the 2011-12 campaign.
Vilanova's Blaugrana side equaled the record points total set by Real Madrid the season before, reaching 100.
He had become assistant manager to Pep Guardiola in 2008.


Damn

Does not look good...  

Come on Tito! Strength.

Very sad.....wish you win it....

He's gone.

R.I.P.

for a short period he coached also the Inter young players , he was much good to do this.

How much is sad to talk to the past for him ...

RIP Tito

Terrible news

R.I.P.

Very bad news. I kind of hoped he'll get better and comes back after the Tata crap.

I am so sorry I got to know about this just now. I was enjoying myself at other places on the web blissfully unaware of such a terrible tragedy. Now just when the Roma va. Milan match was starting I got to know this. He was only 45 years old. Destiny can sometimes be very cruel.

The highest respect for Tito as a member of Barca, a person of football and a human being. Thank you for everything. Our deepest sympathies for all your near and dear ones. After this what has happened to the team this season seems so immaterial. This happening is so much bigger than winning and losing. If we fans are feeling this way I can only imagine what the players may be feeling having worked so closely with you for such a long time. This is a tragedy too big for words, one of the worst in many years in football.

RIP Tito.

We really should be saying a lot more about Tito today. We are the Barcelona forum and Twitter seems ten times more concerned than us about this irreplaceable individual.

Here are two articles - one a short obituary and the other the condolences sent by the football world.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2014/04/25/4774028/goodbye-tito-a-brave-hero-who-created-history-at-barcelona?ICID=HP_BN_7

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2014/04/25/4775796/an-example-of-strength-and-spirit-to-us-all-football-world?ICID=OP

In España, even the most polarizing figures of rivalry and dissension alike reach such attention within our media, our people and minds that the mere thought of their absence is when we truly remember of what they were and did when they were gone. You can be Andalucian, Catalan, Asturian, Murcian, Valencian and earn the scorn of such populace yet the loss sinks deeper than whatever words you may speak during your life and the actions to cement them.

Forget football, it is insignificant when we speak of a man only 45 years old with a wonderful family so hopeful of his health. What Tito did is set an example of valiant strength that few would be able to withstand given the painful pitfalls of cancer. I don't know, say seeing his son practice for La Masia everyday, driving them to school, being present with his family in the balance of managing FC Barcelona....Oh yes, and winning the god damn La Liga a year after it was lost while undergoing the severe ramifications of the cancer.

It will be the most difficult on his son, who had his father a large part of his life in support and guidance. I now hope Adrià becomes a star in Barca in memory of Tito, hopefully further driven by his loss rather than completely disheartened. From what I have seen, he is a promising CB, and he'll need all the support from all you Cules as he can get.

Abidal and Tito were birds of the same feather; both struggling a battle few survive as one of the two has now departed and it is truly saddening despite the reflective legacy he left. Too young, taken from us too soon.

Descansi en pau, Tito.

Super sad about this

The feels...

RIP

Hard to put into words how sad I feel. I can only offer my condolences to his family who I'm sure feel on a completely different level from me immense grief.

Thank you for everything Tito.

Winter and Arqui, immense thanks for those incredible posts. Winter, what a beautiful touching verse is there in your signature.

A thought came to my mind yesterday. Maybe if he hadn't taken on the role of Barca coach in 2012-13 he could have lived longer but being the coach of Barca meant so much to him that he took that risk. I remember how unhappy he was when he had to step down from his responsibilities due to health reasons. The passion he had for Barca and the belief he had in Barca can never be stated in words.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2014/04/26/4776795/barcelona-players-pay-tribute-to-vilanova?ICID=OP

RIP Tito! We'll never forget you...

So sad about this.... doesnt deserve this.... so talented, would have done much mroe in football I believe....

Thank u for everything and RIP.

Btw, wonder what his relationship was in the end with Pep....

Didn't Pep visit him in Spain not too long ago? I'm sure its perfectly fine.

http://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team/detail/article/an-open-letter-from-vicepresident-javier-faus

Terribly sad to hear about Tito's death.Deepest condolences to his family.He was an important of our staff during our glorious years and won us the league as head coach.His contributions will forever be remembered gratefully.
His demise also kind of puts things in perspective.Makes one realize that at the end of the day football is just a game and that winning and losing are all so trivial compared to other things.

alex, other than what you said I would like to stress that we shouldn't remember Tito only for the 2012-13 season. He was a crucial part of the best Barca. As Pep himself has said they did everything together. Some have called him a supreme strategist and some have called him an encyclopaedia of football knowledge. He was the man that trained these players on a hands on day to day basis, some even from their youth days. Let's just say that the best Barca wouldn't even have been without Tito. Laporta said today that Tito rarely smiled but he does remember his smile after we won the 2008-09 UCL.