Just Barcelona News

Barcelona have not lost many games since Jordi Roura took over as the stand-in coach while Tito Vilanova went to New York for extensive treatment after his cancer surgery. There was a steady lessening of intensiti, however, and when the crucial run of games against Real Madrid and AC Milan came around, Barca produced their worst performances of the season.

That meant a semi-final exit from the Spanish cup, and very nearly an exit from the Champions League, denying us the chance to be the first team ever to win two continental trebles. The Primera Liga title is still firmly on course, though, and a fifth European cup to go with the 22nd league title would surely erase the disappointment.   .....Read more here.......

Eric Abidal has not played for Barcelona since early last year, and for a while it looked like he never would again. The French international had already recovered from surgery to remove a tumour on his liver and he came back to help his team win the Champions league against Manchester United. When the cancer returned and he had to have a liver transplant, donated by his cousin, many people thought he would be lucky to live a vaguely normal life, nevermind play football at the top level.   .....Read more here.......

Tito Vilanova was back in the Barcelona dugout on Sunday for the first time since his operation to remove a tumour on his Parotid gland. The manager got a fantastic reception from the home crowd at the Nou camp, but he had already ststed that his treatment was ongoing and he would not be taking back total control from his assistant Jordi Roura.

That has become even more clear today after it was announced that Vilanova will not be on the bench tomorrow for the cup game against Cordoba. He will not even be in Spain, as he is flying to America to get some expert medical advice about his condition.   .....Read more here.......

Pep Guardiola was the most successful manager of Barcelona ever during his short four year stint at the helm of the greatest club in the world. When he decided to step down in the summer and take a year off, Pep was instrumental in his assistant Tito Vilanova taking over. The two have been friends since coming through the youth system at the club and worked together since the team was in the fouth division.   .....Read more here.......