| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Francesc Vilanova i Bayó | ||
| Date of birth | 17 September 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Bellcaire d'Empordà, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Barcelona (assistant) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1984–1988 | Barcelona | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1988–1990 | Barcelona B | 52 | (6) |
| 1990–1992 | Figueres | 72 | (6) |
| 1992–1995 | Celta | 26 | (1) |
| 1995–1996 | Badajoz | 33 | (2) |
| 1996–1997 | Mallorca | 10 | (0) |
| 1997–1998 | Lleida | 21 | (3) |
| 1998–2000 | Elche | 29 | (1) |
| 2000–2002 | Gramenet | ||
| Teams managed | |||
| 2007–2008 | Barcelona B (assistant) | ||
| 2008– | Barcelona (assistant) | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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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 13 major titles.[1]
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After emerging in the youth ranks of local FC Barcelona, Vilanova left the first division giants in 1990, unable to break into the first team.[1] 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.[2]
After working as technical director at Terrassa FC, Vilanova was appointed assistant manager at FC Barcelona B, under manager Josep Guardiola, with the club in the fourth division.[1] 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.[1]
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.[3]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Johan Neeskens |
Barcelona assistant manager 2008–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |