Vilanova steps down as Barca coach, replacement to be named next week
Barcelona have confirmed that Tito Vilanova has stepped down as the club's manager for health reasons.
The club said they hoped to name his replacement early next week.

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell confirmed the news at a hastily announced press conference. It is believed that Vilanova is leaving after recent tests outlined a second relapse in his throat cancer.

The 44-year-old Vilanova spent two months in New York earlier this year undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment for cancer, having twice had surgery on his parotid gland in Spain over the last 18 months.

Former Girona coach Joan Francesc Ferrer Sicilia or Rubi as his most commonly known has been named as a possible replacement but Rosell refused to talk about potential successors. Rubi only joined the Barcelona staff this summer and was set to be Vilanova's assistant this season.

Vilanova succeeded his close friend Pep Guardiola at the end of the 2011-12 season after Guardiola - now coach of Bayern Munich - decided to take a year out from football.

The pair, who were at Barca's academy together and coached the B side before stepping up to the first team in 2008, led the club on a spectacular four-year run including two Champions League crowns and three La Liga titles.

Last season, Vilanova helped Barca to a fourth La Liga success in five years as they equalled Real Madrid's record points haul from the previous term.


Culled from Eurosport.

see wetin bayern don cuz?!

The vagaries of life. Too sad to comment further.