Former Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova dies after prolonged battle with cancer

Tito Vilanova, who lost his brave battle against cancer on Friday, made a massive impression at Barcelona despite his time at the club being cruelly curtailed by his illness.

He was forced to stand aside last July after just 14 months in charge at the Nou Camp when he suffered a relapse.

Vilanova first had a tumour removed from his throat in November 2011 whilst still working as an assistant to Pep Guardiola at the Spanish giants, but returned to coaching duties in March the following year.

He then went on to succeed Guardiola as head coach of the Catalans after the latter decided to step down at the end of the 2011/12 season.

However, after an amazing start to his first senior managerial role on the field as Barcelona made the best ever start to a Spanish league campaign, the club was rocked by the news in December 2012 that the cancer had reappeared.

Vilanova had surgery on a salivary gland and then spent two months in New York receiving chemotherapy treatment before returning to the touchline for Barca's Champions League quarter-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain in March.

Having amassed a commanding lead in the first-half of the 2012/2013 season, Barca comfortably went on to to seal their 22nd Spanish league title in May.

But a draining season on and off the pitch seemed to have taken its toll on the squad when they were hammered 7-0 on aggregate by Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals.

Despite that defeat Vilanova continually stressed that he wanted to continue as Barca boss for the upcoming season.

"I feel fine. I have the energy and the desire to continue at the head of the team next season," he said.

But unfortunately his health once again failed him and he agreed to step aside to concentrate on his battle with cancer on July 19, 2013.

Like many of the world's best coaches, Vilanova made it to the top despite not having a distinguished playing career himself.

He started off in Barcelona's ranks as a youth player where he first met Guardiola, but moved on after failing to break into the first team and only very briefly featured in the top flight with Celta Vigo between 1992 and 1995.

After working as a coach and technical director respectively at Catalan sides FC Palafrugell and Terrassa though, Vilanova was called upon by his old friend Guardiola to form part of the coaching staff at Barcelona B after Guardiola had been appointed as manager in 2007.

After a season working with the club's youngsters, Vilanova followed Guardiola as he graduated to first-team boss the next season and was a key part of the side that won 14 trophies over a remarkably successful four-year period.

"I am not looking to compare myself to anyone; I simply want to do my job," said Vilanova when he was officially presented as the new Barca coach in July 2012.