Farewell to Tito Vilanova, a natural leader

Even when he spoke of his illness, Tito Vilanova desdramatizaba and referred to the clinic by a workshop that had to happen with some regularity by demands of ITV. The last stop was mortal. Tito Vilanova has died at age 45 in Barcelona cancer victim in the parotid gland suffering since 2011 and pushed him away from football.

Tito had learned to live with their condition so that softened the tense situation, also the last, when a relative informed that instead of going to his farm to rest over Easter would enter the Chiron Clinic in Barcelona. I had a virus and your immune system does not respond after the experimental treatment would have worked had followed in France. He gave more importance, as if it were a routine, because after all for quite a while Vilanova in and out of the clinic, came and went from the football field playing his son Adrià with youth B Barça and occasionally went to dinner at a restaurant with his wife Montse.

A long struggle

22-11-2011. Barcelona announced that Tito Vilanova, Guardiola's assistant coach, suffering from a tumor in the parotid gland and needs emergency surgery. Six days later he received a medical discharge.

07-12-2011. Two weeks after surgery, Vilanova rejoins training.

27-04-2012. Barcelona Vilanova appoints head coach the same day that Guardiola announced his farewell to the club.

12-05-2012. medical services of Barcelona announce that the technician is well cured and free of disease.

19-12-2012. Barca club reports of relapse of Vilanova. A day after is operated.

21-01-2013. Tito traveled to New York for treatment.

26/03/2013. U.S. returns.

29-03-2013. Redirects training.

04/02/2013. returns to the bench for Barça in the Champions League match against PSG.

11-05-2013. Barcelona win the league.

07/19/2013. Tito Club announces that falls back into his illness and leaving the bench.

04/25/2014. Tito dies in Barcelona.

Although intended to make a normal life, people talked about her appearance on the scarf covering his neck, over his wool hat, on their relationship with Pep Guardiola and also about how well he was behaving Sandro Rosell. There was a close friend who stopped to visit him because it gave him trouble and talk about life with integrity who spoke Tito.Perhaps your character ampurdanés (Bellcaire, September 17, 1968), he had learned to live with their condition, to relativize their pain, to defy death announcing slander. The doctors themselves, or at least some of the doctors who treated him, it foresaw in April last year that he could face the season with renewed optimism: "I feel strong," he announced to relapse soon after to the surprise club of the and clinical oncologists who had recommended him to work as the best medicine. That day there were those who ruled in the club: "To stop being that Barca coach raisins to be a common ill. Not the best therapy. "

Barca gave life to Tito and Tito went out to continue at the club since returning to the company in the 2007-2008 season. Guardiola called him to be his assistant at Barcelona B. Both were good friends since we lived in La Masia. Although they had been virtuous midfielders lived football from opposite points: rauxa Guardiola contrasted with seny Tito. The mixture worked great and if the subsidiary won promotion to Segunda B was for the good knowledge that rivals Tito, former player of Figueres, Lleida and Gramanet also Celta, Badajoz, Mallorca and Elche had; Palafrugell coach; and sporting director Figueres and Terrassa. Guardiola has said that the title you remember most was the Senior Champion. This explains not hesitate to reassure Tito as his second when the next year came to Camp Nou. Guardiola tried that Tito did not lack anything and Rosell got extended a contract own best coach in the First Division.

He trained at the Masia and his playing days he was nicknamed El Marqués

The Marquis , as he qualified his playing in the youth teams of the club, who had lost the same Inner Square in subsidiary Lluís Pujol benefit of Danny Muller, then boyfriend of one of the daughters of Johan Cruyff was now the ideal complement to Guardiola, Cruyff as when sent and Carles Rexach. Tito preparing the strategy, advised signings like Cesc, know who and when had to change, understand Messi and gave interviews with the approval of Guardiola. Barcelona became the best team in the world from the tandem Guardiola-Vilanova, 14 titles in 19 competitions. Until a query related ear problems since childhood had emerged that had a tumor in the parotid gland which was operated in November 2011 when the team traveled to Milan . Cancer no longer left to Tito while distancing Guardiola Barca.

Guardiola and Tito also grew apart and were facing them progressively up to the breakup and reconciliation later, when there was no intermediaries or family involved, both away from Barca. Maybe Pep had just wanted the story as it had begun and may Tito pretended to secure the future of his family and lead the transition of the club. The 2013 league title supports the intentions of Vilanova, whose staff gave lap, exhausted by the effort Guardiola culture. There seemed an attack of vanity but, consistent with his personality, Tito managed to play down the role of the coach of Barca against the figure of Messi. And if ever he did was important to fight the contempt of those ninguneaban their knowledge.

Tito came and went, as if nothing had happened, did not suffer any harm, as if you were passing through life and for the club.