The team from Catalonia was wreaking havoc all across Europe. Rome, London, Madrid – every single city had been won. Europe was tumbling and one man was being hailed as the conqueror. Pep Guardiola, the man who had made it all possible.
While Pep basked in the glory, only a few took notice of the man who stood in the shadows, smiling. He stood there savouring the taste of victory, enjoying with the millions of members of the Blaugrana family. The man was Tito Vilanova, the Watson to Pep’s Sherlock, the Sam to his Frodo, the man who had been as much an architect of the team that had conquered the world.
It was a story straight out of a dream. A team that had been forever in the shadows had gone on to dominate the world, achieving glory like never before. And Tito had been one of the few men who had made it possible. No wonder it was a sad day for the Blaugrana family when he left the world.
A legend gone, a good life lost to the battle against cancer. The man that had had put a smile upon millions of faces had now left them with a broken heart, with a pain in their gut.
Tito Vilanova was a Catalan through and through. Born in the province of Girona in Catalonia, Vilanova had been a part of the Barcelona youth teams since the very beginning. Labelled not good enough the first team, he left the club to join UE Figures. What followed was a decent professional career in which he played for various La Liga sides, among others.
One goal from his playing days that is fondly remembered by the fans is the one he scored against none other than Barcelona! Incidentally, that was also the first goal anyone ever scored against a team managed by the legendary Jose Mourinho, who had swapped responsibilities with Louis van Gaal for that Copa game.
A return to Barcelona
After having a forgettable start to his managerial career with FC Palafrugell, Tito was appointed the assistant manager of Barcelona B under Pep Guardiola. The boy had returned home, and hopefully, it would be for the better. The duo of Pep and Tito helped the team to a promotion to Segunda B in their very first season in charge. More could have been achieved, but fate had different things in store.
The senior team had been struggling and a change was being sought at the top. When the relatively unknown Pep and Tito replaced the legendary Rijkaard and Neeskens, there was anger, confusion and fear among the masses.
They had wanted a proven winner like Mourinho, not some inexperienced duo that had only managed in the lower divisions. Little did they know that this single decision was to change the entire history of the game, and eventually their lives.
What followed was a dream, a fantasy. A beautiful era of unimaginable and unparalleled success. The duo had created a monster, one to send shivers down the spines of teams for years to come. They had put together arguably the greatest squad in the history of the game.
But like every other dream, this one too had to come to an end. Pep decided to move on, the burden of the club solely Tito’s to bear. There were critics, for people still thought it had all been the genius of Pep. How wrong they had been!
There was history still to be written, and Tito did exactly that. Barring the Champions League campaign, the 2012 – 13 was domestically the most successful season in the club’s century-long history.
Losing only eight competitive games during the course of the entire season, the team went on to gather a massive 100 points, ending the season ahead of the arch-rivals Real Madrid by 15 points.
Sadly though, Tito had been diagnosed with Parotid gland cancer for the second time during the season and his health was gradually declining. He resigned during the early stages of the next season. People were still positive, positive that he would return. If Abidal could do it, why couldn’t Tito? Life had different plans though, and he passed away, leaving a void in the hearts of many.
Tito might have left the world, but his legacy continues. Pep and Tito had managed to achieve the impossible. Winning every possible trophy, they had, in turn, laid the foundation for a very strong squad. Last season’s treble under Luis Enrique would not have been possible without their contribution.
“You should never get nervous about anything. What today seems important tomorrow isn't so any more.”
This was the motto of the man who taught many to dream, who taught many to live. He was a symbol of hope, a light in the darkness. A symbol that anything was possible, all one needed was to keep calm. He might have passed away at a young age, but his contribution to the world of football has been huge. He is missed by many, and will always be.
