Former Barcelona coach and Spanish midfielder Tito Vilanova, has died aged 45 after a long battle with cancer.
Having successfully completed his playing career at Gramenet back in 2001, Vilanova has been a loyal servant for Barcelona since 2007, serving as an assistant for the Barcelona B team before taking charge of the team in 2012.
However, in the same season, Tito was admitted in the hospital and had a tumor removed from his throat. The footballing world witnessed this brave soldier once again at the very end of the season when Barcelona lifted the La Liga title under Tito before he decided to step down as the manager at the end of the last season.
He was certainly a loved and respected figure across the Catalan city and his death has definitely come at a wrong time for Barca in a year in which they have suffered on far too many occasions.
Tributes have been paid from many football coaches, players and clubs across the globe and Arsenal stars did their part as well.
R.I.P Tito Vilanova……Sad day for football! Thoughts with his family!
— Jack Wilshere (@JackWilshere) April 25, 2014
RIP Tito Vilanova. The world of football lost one of its best coaches….. #RIPTitoVilanova
— Lukas-Podolski.com (@Podolski10) April 25, 2014
