Coach Tito Vilanova is coming home, boosting once again Barcelona’s flagging spirits. There’s a good feeling all around as the beloved coach is set to return to Barca ahead of the team’s quarterfinal tie game against Paris Saint-Germain in the European Champions League next week. Vilanova has been in the United States since January 21 receiving treatment for parotid cancer that had relapsed.
Tito Vilanova has been FC Barcelona’s coach since Josef Guardiola vacated the post in 2012. In his absence, his assistant Jordi Roura took the helm. It was a first time for Roura and it showed. Barcelona is a four-time European champion and current League leader.
In his absence, Barca was beaten by Real Madrid in two legs of the Copa del Rey semis. In the Spanish League the team was again beaten by Real Madrid. AC Milan also managed to beat Barca in the first leg of the round of 16 in the Champions League.
It is a good thing that Barcelona is able to bounce back in the second leg, emphatically beating AC Milan with a score of 4-0. It has also qualified in quarterfinals of the Champions League, and will play against Paris Saint-Germain on the first leg on April 2.
Coach Vilanova will have to work hard. His team is playing an away game with Celta Vigo on Saturday in La Liga. Aside from that he needs to assemble a new lineup as Adriano, Jordi Alba and Carles Puyol are all injured. Xavi Hernandez, though nursing a hamstring problem is still fulfilling his international duties. Despite these, his return will give Barcelona a much needed morale boost.
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