Tito Vilanova

Quick Facts:

Full Name	Francesc “Tito” Vilanova Bayó
Date of Birth	September 17, 1968
Birth Place	Bellcaire d’Empordà, Spain
Nick Name	Tito
Religion	Christianity
Nationality	Spanish
Ethnicity	Unknown
Zodiac Sign	Virgo
Date of Death	April 25, 2014 (aged 45)
Cause of Death	Complications from cancer
Death Place	Barcelona, Spain
Father’s Name	Joaquim Vilanova
Mother’s Name	Maria Rosa Bayo
Siblings	None
Education	Unknown
Marital Status	Married
Wife	Montse Chaure
Kids	Two children; Daughter Carlota Vilanova Son Adrià Vilanova
Profession	Football center midfielder
Teams played	Barcelona Figueres Celta Badajoz Mallorca Lleida Elche Gramenet
Playing Career	1984-2001
Post Retirement	Coach
Teams Coached	Palafrugell Barcelona
Coaching Career	2003-2013
Jersey Number	Unknown
Active Years	1984-2013
Net Worth	Around $5 million
Social Media	Instagram
Merch	Tito Vilanova: El presente del Braca (Spanish Edition)
Last Update	July, 2022

To think carefully, often we are weird, ain’t we? Well, we look up to the success and overlook the person behind it.

Barcelona has established itself as one of the top football teams in the world today since their breakthrough in the early 2000s. It was Tito Vilanova’s time that was frequently described as the club’s most prosperous period, and it was.

Vilanova was the one who encouraged the players to reach their peak, yet the majority of us are unaware of him. Sadly, he never received the necessary exposure. He was, however, the brains behind the outstanding players we see today.

Evidently, Vilanova’s partnership with Pep Guardiola led to great success, and after Guardiola left, Vilanova took over on his own.

Football is a game of strategies as well as strength, and it can be chaotic at times. Vilanova lived a brief life, yet he made an impact on the business world.

Early Life of Tito Vilanova

Francesc “Tito” Vilanova Bayó, Vilanova’s full name, was born under the Virgo sun sign on September 17, 1968. In addition, he was born to Maria Rosa Bayo and Joaquim Vilanova in Bellcaire d’Empordà, Spain.

Vilanova, however, used to live a secret existence and never let the world into the most private aspects of it. As a result, there is no information available on his academic record, family history, or early years.

Sports Career

Vilanova started playing at a young age in the FC Barcelona youth division in his hometown. He really spent three years on the young team before making his professional debut.

Vilanova spent his professional career at Barcelona and remained there until 1990. He left the La Liga giants immediately after the team’s breakthrough and played for UE Figueres. He remained with the team for two years, and during that time, he guided them to third place in the Segunda División standings.

And he signed up with the RC Celta de Vigo in 1992, and stayed with them for three complete seasons.

Vilanova’s meeting with the Celt was quite unusual, though. He eventually returned to division two and played for CD Badajoz and RCD Mallorca for one season apiece.

He was elevated to the top position with UE Lleida, where he had previously scored against Barcelona in a 1998 Copa Catalunya match. With this goal, he became the first player to score against a Portuguese-coached team.

He spent two seasons with Elche CF and one with UDA Gramenet after leaving Lleida. In this location, Vilanova hung his boots in 2001, beginning his career as a coach.

Career in Coaching

Tito Vilanova started training with La Masia’s Cadete B team in 2001 after he stopped playing. After that, he started working as a coach with FC Palafrugell of the Tercera División.

Vilanova reportedly served as technical director for Terrassa FC before joining his friend Pep Guardiola as FC Barcelona B’s assistant manager following the 2004 campaign.

Vilanova and Guardiola were promoted to Segunda División B during team time. They took over the team as a result, replacing the Dutch tandem of Frank Rijkaard and Johan Neeskens.

Vilanova provided opportunity to the deserving young members of the team during those times. He had actually helped the team grow by giving the young athletes opportunities to play in the games.

Tito aided the development of outstanding club talents like Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique, and Cesc Fabregas during his time in charge.

Vilanova achieved success at Camp Nou as well, winning six important trophies.

Not to mention, they made history by winning both the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey League championships in the same season for the first time in Spain. Guardiola announced his departure from the team in 2012 as the partnership continued to be successful, and Vilanova assumed full leadership.

However, when Guardiola left the team, many people were concerned that Barcelona would not be successful. People became tense as a result, but Vilanova merely persisted with success.

To give an example, he won their 22nd domestic championship when he was in office. He guided the squad to maintain a record margin of 15 points after at least one score in every game, amassing a total of 100 in the process.

Tito Vilanova: Career Highlights & Record in Barcelona

Without a question, Villanova exceeded everyone’s expectations. Vilanova did approach games directly, but what really helped him was that he treated every player like a star athlete.

During his coaching tenure, he used the rotating strategy to ensure that every player on his team got their fair portion of playing time.

Vilanova also had a close relationship with the players on a professional and personal level, which helped the outcome. Vilanova had 32 triumphs, four draws, and just two losses in La Liga by the time of his retirement. He also won the Miguel Muoz Trophy for managing during the 2011–13 campaign.

Managerial Record

Have a look at Tito Vilanova’s managerial record for the Barcelona team.

Tito Vilanova:Controversy

It would not be surprising for someone in the spotlight to be drawn into contentious issues.

Although everyone processes information differently, Tito Vilanova stood out for making things very obvious. After the Spanish Super Cup match in 2012, Jose Mourinho of Real Madrid built contentious grounds for Vilanova.

Jose reportedly received a two-match Super Cup suspension from the Spanish federation (RFEF) following the infamous eye-poking incident. In addition, his enraged push away of Vilanova imposed another another match punishment. Later, Vilanova said in an interview that he shouldn’t talk about the old episodes.

“Mourinho greeted me at the Bernabeu in the league, and I don’t think our friendship is poor,” the player said.

What transpired in that game to warrant discussion a year later? I’m done with it.

The photographs that others will be able to view for a long time will be the harshest punishment for the two of us.
T. Vilanova

The Personal Life, Wife, and Death of Tito Vilanova

Vilanova was not just a skilled athlete but also a devoted husband and father. Indeed, he and Montse Chaure were happily married and had two children, Carlota Vilanova (born on June 1, 1994) and Adrià Vilanova (born on February 11, 1997).

His son Adria currently wears jersey number five as a defender for the FC Andorra. Additionally, Carlota Vilanova attended Barcelona’s ESADE Business School in the past. Montse Chaure, Vilanova’s wife, was formerly a graphic artist who was born and raised in Barcelona.

According to reports, the couple got engaged in 1992 after meeting when they were both just 18 years old. Throughout the contests, Chaure would accompany her husband and was constantly in his corner.

Although Tito Valinova’s net worth hasn’t been made public. He is anticipated to have a $5 million net worth prior to passing away.

Hommage, Cancer, and Death

Tito Vilanova initially identified his cancer in the parotid salivary gland on November 22, 2011. He then took some time off and had the tumor surgically removed.

He would then get a standard checkup in Barcelona after that. Vilanova underwent his first surgery and recovered completely in just 18 days, returning to work.

On December 19, 2012, Vilanova reported that his testing showed that the cancer had returned. Hereafter, he received a six-week radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment; while he was at work, Jordi Roura, the assistant, assumed leadership of the team.

Vilanova eventually submitted a letter of resignation thanking Barcelona for his time as manager. According to reports, it astonished everyone. When asked about the situation, Vilanova responded that his health was incompatible with that of a professional manager.

Vilanova tragically passed away at the age of 45, having fought cancer for almost 2.5 years. Vilanova had invited Lionel Messi to his home on April 19, 2014, before that.

Messi thought about leaving Barcelona because the team was struggling at the time. Vilanova, though, had begged Messi to remain in Barcelona and aid in its expansion. It was almost like a dying-bed vow that Messi has kept to this day.

After experiencing a relapse the week before, Vilanova passed away on April 25, 2014, from complications related to her cancer. On December 19, 2012, the coach left Camp Nou Stadium due to his deterioration.

He died and was interred in Spain. To protect the privacy of his family and friends, his last resting place is kept secret.

Hommage

Following his passing, every star and public paid tribute to Vilanova.

“Tito loved coming here. He said it was a privilege to train the best team in the world, and he loved the players.”
-Wife, Montse Chaure

Furthermore, Barcelona’s training ground, Ciutat Esportiva, named its Pitch 1 Camp Tito Vilanova to honor his legacy.

Some FAQs:

What is Tito Vilanova La La Liga record?

Tito Vilanova’s record in La Liga stands at 32 victories, four draws, and two defeats.

Does Tito Vilanova have a social media account?

Although the news isn’t sure, Vilanova seemed to have an Instagram account.

Apparently, he goes by his real name Tito Vilanova (@titovilanovaofficial), which has 664 followers.

Furthermore, the account doesn’t seem to have been uploaded since May 9, 2013.

You may also like: Chris Paul