Tito Vilanova facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tito Vilanova

Vilanova in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Francesc Vilanova Bayó
Date of birth	(1968-09-17)17 September 1968
Place of birth	Bellcaire d'Empordà, Spain
Date of death	25 April 2014(2014-04-25) (aged 45)
Place of death	Barcelona, Spain
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
1984–1987	Barcelona
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1987–1988	Barcelona C	35	(3)
1988–1990	Barcelona B	52	(6)
1990–1992	Figueres	72	(6)
1992–1995	Celta	26	(1)
1995–1996	Badajoz	33	(2)
1996–1997	Mallorca	10	(0)
1997–1998	Lleida	21	(3)
1998–2000	Elche	63	(6)
2000–2001	Gramenet	28	(2)
Total		340	(29)
Teams managed
2002–2003	Barcelona (youth)
2003–2004	Palafrugell
2005–2006	Figueres
2006–2007	Terrassa
2007–2008	Barcelona B (assistant)
2008–2012	Barcelona (assistant)
2012–2013	Barcelona
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Francesc "Tito" Vilanova Bayó (born September 17, 1968 – died April 25, 2014) was a Spanish professional football player and coach. He played as a central midfielder, a player who helps both defense and attack in the middle of the field.

After playing in Spain's top league, La Liga, for three seasons with Celta, he became an assistant coach at Barcelona. He worked alongside Pep Guardiola, helping the team win many titles.

Vilanova became the main coach for Barcelona in 2012. In his only season, he led the team to win the La Liga championship. He stepped down in July 2013 because of health problems and passed away the next year from cancer.

Playing Career: Tito's Football Journey

Tito Vilanova was born in Bellcaire d'Empordà, a town in Catalonia, Spain. He started playing football in the youth teams of his local club, FC Barcelona. This youth system is called the Cantera.

In 1990, he left Barcelona because he couldn't join the main team. He then played for UE Figueres in his home region. He helped them achieve their best-ever finish in the Segunda División (Spain's second division) in the 1991–92 season, finishing third.

After that, Vilanova moved to the top division, La Liga, with RC Celta de Vigo. He didn't play much there. In 1995, he returned to the second division. He played for several teams, including CD Badajoz, RCD Mallorca, UE Lleida, and Elche CF. He retired from playing in December 2001 with UDA Gramenet.

An interesting fact from his playing days: in 1998, during a Copa Catalunya game, Vilanova scored a goal against Barcelona. That Barcelona team was coached by José Mourinho, who was filling in for the main coach. Vilanova was the first player to score against a team managed by Mourinho.

Coaching Career: Leading Barcelona to Success

Vilanova (far right) as an assistant manager of Barcelona B

Vilanova began his coaching career in the 2003–04 season with FC Palafrugell. Later, he became an assistant manager for FC Barcelona B, the reserve team, working under Pep Guardiola.

In 2008, after helping the reserve team get promoted, Vilanova and Guardiola were promoted to coach the main Barcelona team. Their first year, the 2008–09 season, was incredibly successful. The team won six major trophies! They became the first Spanish team to win the Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup), the league title, and the UEFA Champions League (Europe's top club competition) all in the same season. This achievement is known as winning the "treble".

On April 27, 2012, it was announced that Vilanova would take over as Barcelona's head coach after Guardiola left. He signed a two-year contract. Lionel Messi, one of the world's best players, said that Vilanova was the first coach at the club to truly believe in him, making him a starter for their under-16 teams.

Vilanova's team achieved a special moment on November 25, 2012. In a league game against Levante UD, he had 11 players on the field who had all come through Barcelona's youth academy. His team had a fantastic season, losing only eight competitive matches. They scored in every league game and won their 22nd Spanish championship by a huge 15-point lead, earning 100 points in total.

Health Challenges and Passing

On December 19, 2012, Barcelona announced that Vilanova was dealing with parotid gland cancer for the second time. He had first been diagnosed with it in November of the previous year.

Vilanova had surgery on December 20, 2012, and then received chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments. His assistant, Jordi Roura, took over as head coach during this time. Vilanova returned to coaching in late March 2013.

However, on July 19, 2013, Vilanova had to resign as Barcelona manager. His health condition had worsened, and the treatment made it impossible for him to continue as a professional coach. He passed away on April 25, 2014, at the age of 45, due to complications from cancer.

Tito's Family Life

Tito Vilanova was married to Montse Chaure. They had two children together: a daughter named Carlota and a son named Adrià. Adrià also played in Barcelona's youth football system, following in his father's footsteps.

Achievements and Awards

Manager

• La Liga: 2012–13

Individual

• Miguel Muñoz Trophy: 2012–13

Managerial Record

See also

In Spanish: Tito Vilanova para niños