© EuroFootball.com
On Friday, 45-year-old Tito Vilanova, who lost his battle with cancer at the Quirón Hospital in Barcelona, had been trying to overcome this difficult and insidious disease with all his might in the past couple of years.
The FCBARCELONA.LT portal presents a sad chronology - from the moment when the terrible news about the disease became public, to the last moments of the coach's life.
On November 22, 2011, Barcelona unexpectedly announces that then head coach Josep Guardiola's assistant Tito Vilanova will not travel with the team to Italy due to health problems, when the Catalans face a Champions League match against Milan. Soon it is revealed that doctors found a malignant tumor in T. Vilanova's throat, which is planned to be operated on at the Vall d'Hebron hospitals in Barcelona.
On November 28, 2011, T. Vilanova leaves the hospital and goes home. The news is optimistic: the operation was successful. However, the specialist recommends him to stay at home, so he cannot continue working with the team.
On December 7, 2011, T. Vilanova arrives at the Barcelona training base and helps the team prepare for the upcoming El Clasico clash with Real Madrid.
On April 27, 2012, then Barcelona president Sandro Rosell announces that T. Vilanova is taking over the head coach duties, which J. Guardiola voluntarily stepped down from after four seasons to take a break.
On May 12, 2012, Barcelona doctor Ricardo Pruna announces that T. Vilanova is considered healthy, and the tumor removed from his throat during the operation does not reoccur. All of T. Vilanova's health tests are excellent.
On December 19, 2012, a bolt from the blue. Barcelona announces unexpectedly that the head coach's health suddenly deteriorated and additional medical tests are needed. The Catalan club cancels the traditional Christmas dinner and the festive speech by S. Rosell.
On December 20, 2012, T. Vilanova goes to the Quirón Hospital in Barcelona, where he hears the terrible news. The tumor has actually "resurfaced" and the disease is progressing further. The coach is prescribed six weeks of treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
On January 9, 2013, T. Vilanova flies to the United States, where he consults with specialists at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Research Center in New York. After a few days, the coach returns to Barcelona, but the initial news does not promise anything good.
On January 19, 2013, T. Vilanova leads the team for the last time before traveling to the US for necessary treatment. It was the first round of the Spanish championship against Real Sociedad. Barcelona suffered their first defeat of the season in the national Spanish league.
On February 27, 2013, then Barcelona president S. Rosell travels to New York to visit T. Vilanova and to discuss his career plans.
On March 5, 2013, T. Vilanova appears in public for the first time in the US. The coach attends an exhibition tennis match at Madison Square Garden arena, played by Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin Del Potro.
On March 26, 2013, T. Vilanova returns to Barcelona from New York. He had already been away from the US for more than two months.
On April 2, 2013, T. Vilanova again leads Barça. The returning coach takes over the team's reins from assistant Jordi Roura and directs his proteges in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final match against Paris Saint-Germain.
On April 26, 2013, T. Vilanova holds his first press conference since returning from New York. In it, the coach assures that he has the strength and desire to continue working.
On May 31, 2013, the last season's press conference. Barcelona has already become the country's champion, and the coach once again assures that he intends to lead the team in the next season. "Doctors allowed me to work, so now I face many new challenges. We need to move forward," says the Catalan.
On July 4, 2013, T. Vilanova ends his vacation early and, with his assistants, begins to prepare the team's tactics for the new season. Players start training on July 15th.
On July 16, 2013, T. Vilanova, along with Barcelona sports director Andoni Zubizarreta, holds a traditional press conference to present the team's plans for the new season and possible changes in the squad.
On July 19, 2013, the leaders, players, and fans of the Catalan club are shocked: the coach's health has deteriorated so much that he can no longer work with the team. In a specially organized press conference, President Sandro Rosell reads a statement that T. Vilanova is leaving his coaching position of his own free will and devoting all his energy to cancer treatment. Journalists don't have time to ask the Catalan club president any questions. He simply leaves the room.
On July 23, 2013, Barcelona officially announces that Gerardo Martino, the former coach of Newell's Old Boys, will replace T. Vilanova in the head coach position.
On September 8, 2013, T. Vilanova visits the youth academy match, where "Barcelona Juvenil" and "Prat" teams compete for the Joan Gamper Cup. "Barça" wins the match, and the coach's son Adria Vilanova scores a winning goal, dedicating it to his father. The young footballer crosses his arms and publicly shows the letter "T" - Tito.
On October 26, 2013, El Clasico battle at the Camp Nou stadium. The giant mosaic "Forca Tito" adorns the stands of the largest European stadium, which fans assemble from colored paper sheets. The former coach watches the match from the stands.
On January 8, 2014, television cameras capture T. Vilanova sitting in the stands of the Camp Nou stadium as he watches the King's Cup match between Barcelona and Getafe.
On April 24, 2014, T. Vilanova is urgently taken to the Quirón Clinic in Barcelona. His condition rapidly deteriorates, with serious digestive problems arising. Emergency surgery is performed, but it is not successful.
On April 25, 2014, T. Vilanova's life ends in the hospital room. He was 45 years old.
