Tito Vilanova to fly to NY for treatment

MADRID - Reuters

Coach Tito Vilanova (R) was at the bench during Barcelona’s La Liga game against Espanyol on Jan. 6, just weeks after undergoing a cancer surgery.

Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova is to seek a second medical opinion in New York just weeks after undergoing another operation on a tumor in his saliva gland, it was reported on Jan. 8.

The 44-year-old only returned to the dugout last Sunday for Barcelona’s 4-0 win over city rivals Espanyol and admitted then that he might have to step away again.

The Barcelona sports publication Sport revealed on its website that according to their sources Vilanova would not be present for tonight’s Spanish Cup Last 16 clash with Cordoba because he will be in New York to see cancer specialist Timothy A Chan at the Sloan-Kettering Memorial hospital.

Barcelona would not officially confirm the claims.

Vilanova, who underwent the operation on Dec. 20, had said that his battle was not over.

“This is not over yet and there will be days that I can take training and others I can’t but I want the media to realize that this illness is mine and it is private even if I am a public figure,” said Vilanova.
Vilanova has in any case to follow six weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.