'I'll always remember you, my friend'
Barcelona stars past and present pay tribute to their former coach, who loses battle with cancer
Tito Vilanova, the coach who succeeded Pep Guardiola at Barcelona and won the Spanish league title in his only season in charge, died on Friday following a long battle with throat cancer. He was 45.
Vilanova, who had battled a recurring tumour in a saliva gland, was admitted to a local hospital in Barcelona last week. He reportedly had emergency surgery on Thursday.
His death prompted condolences from players and coaches across Europe. Barcelona star Lionel Messi said it was a "moment of profound pain for Vilanova's family, and also for Barcelona and their fans".
All of us who shared Barcelona's locker room with Tito are deeply affected, considering what he gave us as a person and as a professional
"All of us who shared Barcelona's locker room with Tito are deeply affected, considering what he gave us as a person and as a professional," Messi said. Former Barcelona defender Eric Abidal, who recovered from liver cancer and a transplant to help win the 2012-13 league with Vilanova, tweeted: "For everything we went through together, I will always remember you, my friend. Thanks for fighting."
Spain's royal family and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also sent telegrams to Vilanova's family and Barcelona.
Vilanova became ill in November 2011, while still an assistant to Guardiola. After surgery he returned and took over from Guardiola the next season, when he led Barcelona to the Spanish league title with a record-tying 100 points.