Jonathan Dos Santos confident Vilanova will continue to promote youth at Barcelona

Posted Monday, May 07, 2012 by Goal.com

Jonathan Dos Santos believes Pep Guardiola's legacy at Barcelona will continue to serve the team under the leadership of Tito Vilanova, who will take over as coach at the end of the season.

The former midfielder oversaw a change in culture at Camp Nou, as he decided to offload more senior members of the squad in Ronaldinho, Deco and Samuel Eto'o at the expense of in-house talents such as Pedro, Issac Cuenca and Thiago Alcantara.

Dos Santos is one of the players ready to break into the Barcelona first-team, along with defenders Marc Bartra, Martin Montoya and Marc Muniesa, and he expects Vilanova to use Guardiola's work in Catalunya as a platform for his own.

"Tito is the right-hand man of Pep and has always been with him," Dos Santos told EFE. "I think he has the same ideas [as Pep], which may benefit both me and the other young players.

"Vilanova has worked well here in La Masia and, like Guardiola, I think he will only continue to rely heavily on the youth teams.

"He has always supported and encouraged us and he knows a lot about football like Pep. I think he will bring us a lot next year."

The 22-year-old then hailed Guardiola for writing a new chapter in Barca's history, but confessed that he, along with this team-mates, were taken by surprise with the appointment of Vilanova.

"Pep began a new era at the club and did a great job, but it's not a farewell," he continued. "I think it's more of a 'see you later'.

"Nobody expected Tito to come in. Everyone thought he was going out of the club with Pep, but I am delighted for him."