Francesc Vilanova
Encyclopedia
Francesc "Tito" Vilanova i Bayó (born 17 September 1969 in Bellcaire d'Empordà, Girona, Catalonia
) is a retired Spanish
footballer who played as a central midfielder.
After an unassuming professional career - only played 26 La Liga
games in three years combined - he went on to work with FC Barcelona
(his first club) as an assistant coach under Josep Guardiola
, being part of the squads which won 12 major titles.
of local FC Barcelona
, Vilanova left the first division
giants in 1990, unable to break into the first team. His next club was also in Catalonia
, UE Figueres
, with the player helping the team to its best ever second level
classification, in the 1991–92 season (third place); the club would eventually face Cádiz CF
in the promotion playoffs, losing 1–3 on aggregate.
Subsequently, Vilanova moved to the top division with Celta de Vigo
, but appeared rarely over the course of three full seasons, returned to level two in 1995, and representing CD Badajoz
, RCD Mallorca
- contributing with ten games as the Balearic Islands
side promoted to the first division - UE Lleida
and Elche CF
, retiring at nearly 34 with lowly UDA Gramenet, in his native region.
, Vilanova was appointed assistant manager at FC Barcelona B
, under manager Josep Guardiola
, with the club in the fourth division
. In 2008, after leading the reserve side to promotion to level three
, the pair was assigned to the first team, replacing Dutch
Frank Rijkaard
and Johan Neeskens
.
Vilanova's first season at the Camp Nou
was the most successful in Barcelona's history, with the club winning six major trophies, becoming the first team in Spain to win the domestic cup, league and European club titles (the treble) in the same season.
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
) is a retired Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
footballer who played as a central midfielder.
After an unassuming professional career - only played 26 La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
games in three years combined - he went on to work with FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
(his first club) as an assistant coach under Josep Guardiola
Josep Guardiola
Josep "Pep" Guardiola i Sala , is a Spanish football manager and former player. Guardiola played as a defensive midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career with FC Barcelona, whom he currently manages. He was part of Johan Cruyff's dream team that won Barcelona's first European Cup....
, being part of the squads which won 12 major titles.
Playing career
After emerging in the youth ranksCantera
Cantera, literally meaning "quarry" in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies and farm teams organized by sports clubs. It is also used to refer to the geographical area that clubs recruit players from. The term is widely used in football but is also applied to other sports...
of local FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, Vilanova left the first division
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
giants in 1990, unable to break into the first team. His next club was also in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, UE Figueres
UE Figueres
Unió Esportiva Figueres is a Spanish football team based in Figueres, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Founded in 1919 and refounded in 2007, it plays in Primera Catalana, holding home matches at Estadio Municipal de Vilatenim, with a seating capacity of 9,472.-History:Figueres was first...
, with the player helping the team to its best ever second level
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
classification, in the 1991–92 season (third place); the club would eventually face Cádiz CF
Cádiz CF
Cádiz Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Cádiz, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1910, it currently plays in Segunda División B - Group 4, holding home games at Estadio Ramón de Carranza, with a 22,000-seat capacity.Salvadoran legend Mágico González, who...
in the promotion playoffs, losing 1–3 on aggregate.
Subsequently, Vilanova moved to the top division with Celta de Vigo
Celta de Vigo
Real Club Celta de Vigo , simply referred to as Celta Vigo, is a Spanish professional football club based in Vigo, Galicia, currently playing in the Segunda División. It was founded on March 28, 1923 following the merger of Real Vigo Sporting and Real Fortuna Foot-ball Club.Nicknamed Los Celestes ,...
, but appeared rarely over the course of three full seasons, returned to level two in 1995, and representing CD Badajoz
CD Badajoz
Club Deportivo Badajoz, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Badajoz, in the autonomous community of Extremadura. Founded in 1905, it plays in 2ªB - Group 1, holding home games at Estadio Nuevo Vivero, with a 15,200-seat capacity.-History:...
, RCD Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
- contributing with ten games as the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
side promoted to the first division - UE Lleida
UE Lleida
Club Lleida Esportiu is a Spanish football team based in Lleida, Catalonia. Founded in 2011, it plays in Segunda División B, holding home games at Camp d'Esports, with a capacity of 13,500 seats.-History:...
and Elche CF
Elche CF
Elche Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Elche, Alicante, in the Valencian Community. Founded in 1923, it currently plays in the Spanish second division, holding home matches at Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero, with a capacity of 38,750 seats.-Recent seasons:-Season to...
, retiring at nearly 34 with lowly UDA Gramenet, in his native region.
Managerial career
After working as technical director at Terrassa FCTerrassa FC
Terrassa Futbol Club, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Terrassa, Barcelona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Founded in 1906, it currently plays in 3ª - Group 5, holding home matches at Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa, with a capacity of 11.500 spectators.-History:In 1914, Terrassa's...
, Vilanova was appointed assistant manager at FC Barcelona B
FC Barcelona B
Futbol Club Barcelona B is a Spanish football team. They are the reserve team of FC Barcelona. Reserve teams in the Spanish football league system play in the same football pyramid as their senior team rather than a separate league. However reserve teams cannot play in the same division as their...
, under manager Josep Guardiola
Josep Guardiola
Josep "Pep" Guardiola i Sala , is a Spanish football manager and former player. Guardiola played as a defensive midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career with FC Barcelona, whom he currently manages. He was part of Johan Cruyff's dream team that won Barcelona's first European Cup....
, with the club in the fourth division
Tercera División
Tercera División is the fourth level of the Spanish football league system. The top three are the Primera División, often referred to as "La Liga" in English, the Segunda División, and Segunda División B.-Current Format:...
. In 2008, after leading the reserve side to promotion to level three
Segunda División B
Segunda División B is the third level of the Spanish football league system. It is administered by the RFEF. The top two levels are La Liga, also referred to as the Primera División, and the Segunda División. Immediately below Segunda División B is the Tercera Division...
, the pair was assigned to the first team, replacing Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Frank Rijkaard
Frank Rijkaard
Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard is a Dutch football manager of Dutch and Surinamese descent and former player. Rijkaard has played for Ajax, Real Zaragoza and Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. In his coaching career, he has been at the helm of the Dutch national side,...
and Johan Neeskens
Johan Neeskens
Johannes Jacobus "Johan" Neeskens is a Dutch football manager and former midfielder. As a player, he was an important member of the Dutch national team that finished as runners-up in the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups. Former England manager Alf Ramsey said Neeskens was "as good as any player" in...
.
Vilanova's first season at the Camp Nou
Camp Nou
Camp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957....
was the most successful in Barcelona's history, with the club winning six major trophies, becoming the first team in Spain to win the domestic cup, league and European club titles (the treble) in the same season.