Guardiola mourns loss of old friend Vilanova

Posted Sunday, April 27, 2014 by Foxsports.com

Pep Guardiola has admitted the death of his former assistant at Barcelona, Tito Vilanova, will "stay with him forever".

Guardiola's Bayern Munich team wore black armbands during Saturday's Bundesliga win over Werder Bremen, with the 71,000 fans in the Allianz Arena observing a minute's silence before kick-off.

Vilanova, the former Barcelona coach who spent four years as Guardiola's assistant at the Nou Camp before taking the top job, died of throat cancer at the age of 45 on Friday.

Guardiola said: "We went through a lot together, we lost together, we won together. It is a difficult situation. This tragedy will stay with me forever."

Bayern earlier expressed their "shock and deep sadness" at the news in a statement from chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

He wrote on the club's website: "The former Barcelona coach was with his team as a guest with us last season. We got to know and appreciate him as a great coach and wonderful person.

"Tito Vilanova had more than a professional bond above all with our coach Pep Guardiola and his staff.

"Bayern's grief and sympathy is today with Tito Vilanova's family and with Barcelona."

Guardiola and Vilanova became friends when they were players in Barcelona's youth set-up. As manager and assistant they moulded Barca into one of the best teams in the history of the game, winning three La Liga titles and the Champions League twice.

Vilanova took over from Guardiola in the summer of 2012 and led the club to the Primera Division title again in his only season in charge before having to step down due to health issues.