Opinion: Tito Vilanova: Where'd you go?

I decided to spend my Sunday evening, in front of my TV. Just physically at my home, but mentally my heart and soul among those at the Anoeta. Anoeta has always given me a perturbation. After all, for a team like Barca, to have just one win in the last decade at the stadium is not fancy. Mysterious phenomena happen there, even Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, couldn’t crack the defensive lines, even Puyol couldn’t hold the defenses together.

But all these years, we might have lost at Anoeta, but never have I felt shame in the style of football that we implied. If we lost, we lost fighting. As a fan, you could watch the team with the sense of ease. But now, that we are coached by Ernesto Valverde, things are different. At all moments, Barca could be hit on the counter, take the lead, and Valverde switches to defensive tactics and makes substitutions that strengthen the defense.

It is odd for a team like us, trying to defend a lead while having Messi and Suarez eager to score. It is odd to make defensive substitutions when our style is offense. We play like inferiors, while we used to make opponents beg mercy on the pitch. We rely on last-minute substitutions for a victory. The players are not bad, so where is our problem?

To look into the matters, we have to go back to where it all began, to the start. Barcelona was one of the strongest teams, teams dreaded to be drawn with them. And now, people are speculating a group stage exit for Barcelona. Why? Because Inter and Tottenham are in their group. Barcelona has always had good players, Messi and Busquets, still strong. Some great young talents in Malcom, Lenglet, Dembele, Denis, Arthur. One of the best defenders, Samuel Umtiti. Amazing full backs, Alba and Semedo. Where does the problem lie?

Coaching. Football is probably the game of brains. The coach has to be the master tactician. Unfortunately, we are coached by a Valverde. He has a defensive mindset and mid-table mentality. He didn’t rotate against Huesca and then rotated against the rampaging Sociedad, at their home. He has Lenglet, Malcom, and Arthur on the bench and he decides to substitute for Vidal. Of all the stadiums he had to take a gamble, he chooses Anoeta. Absurd.

Maurizio Sarri didn’t have half the quality at Napoli. The chain-smoker nearly defeated Juventus to the title. Valverde has a 4-1 lead in the first leg, and he sits back trying to defend the lead. Jurgen Klopp destroyed the Roma midfield with Wijnaldum and Henderson and Valverde sat deep with Busquets and Iniesta.

Ever since Pep Guardiola left, Barcelona has never been the same. YES? No. Even after Guardiola left, he left one of the best teams in the world. The team with players in their prime. The team which breathes football all around. Well, Pep also left, a worthy successor for his place. His apprentice and then assistant coach, the man who came into the spotlight, when Jose Mourinho poked him in the eye, Tito Vilanova.

Tito might not have been the most known figure, but he knew Barcelona inside out. He was with Barcelona's first team since 2008. In 2012, Tito became the head coach for Barcelona. In the season that followed, Tito exceeded all expectations. Barcelona lost only twice in the league while notching up 100 points. Tito also won the Miguel Munoz award for the best manager that year.

Barcelona fans' tribute to Vilanova

The season might still be undermined by some facts. Barcelona got knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich in a 7-0 hammering over two legs. They were knocked out of the Copa Del Rey by arch-rivals Real Madrid. But still, Barca was Barca that season. They didn’t play defensive, mid-table football. They were true to their style. They played good, aesthetic football that season. It might be the last season where we saw vintage Barcelona.

Being successful is one thing and being at your best is another. Barcelona was not as successful as they were under Pep, but they were executing their plans to perfection. As Joker said “No one panics, when things go according to plan, even if the plan is horrific”. Tito had some plans, some good, some not so good. But they played well.

Barcelona was successful last year all right, but was it at their best? Not even close. Tito was one of the last managers to give minutes to young players. The only incoming players were Jordi Alba and Alex Song. Sergi Roberto, who has been instrumental for Barcelona was promoted under Tito. Lionel Messi scored his 91 goals in a single calendar year with Vilanova on the bench for the second half of 2012. Barcelona and their players were having their best of times under Tito. Although not the most successful.

Tito was only able to coach Barcelona for around a year. Eric Abidal was diagnosed with a liver tumor and had to undergo an operation in 2011. Abidal came back strong and lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy at Wembley. But, fate was not so kind with Tito. He was diagnosed with parotid gland cancer for the second time during his managing tenure. He had to leave his duties as manager.

His resignation was not just him leaving the job. He was getting ready for the biggest match of his life. For us, it was a day when it all began. Doomsday. The final Barcelona coach, having the Barca DNA. His legacy, his 100 points in a season, the season of Lionel Messi’s utter domination, will always be embedded in a Barca fan.

Tito loved the game, the beautiful game. He was one who saw it beautifully. His tactics were meant to play it beautifully. That is where Tito is lucky, till his last few moments, Tito had football in him. He himself quoted this.

“Football is not a job, but my best therapy”

And maybe that is why the 2015 treble was beautiful. It was the best tribute our team could give to Tito. The season that had everything, before things were beginning to fall apart.

Maybe if Tito was alive, we wouldn’t be witnessing the day Barcelona fielded a full homegrown 11 in the Champions League, when he was the coach. Today, under Valverde, we have options just to be benched. We have Pep Segura, who prefers physicality. Barcelona won the treble in 2015, but we lost our identity when the Socios voted these people in. It could have been different. Tito would have still implemented our style. He would uphold our ideologies. He would have helped Messi flourish in his prime, rather than waste it to poor coaching plans. We would have been more of a team than just someone stepping up on odd days.

Oh Tito, I just have one inspiration that keeps me supporting our club.

“You should never get nervous about anything. What today seems important, tomorrow isn’t so anymore” – Tito Vilanova

Where'd you go?

I miss you so

Seems like it's been forever

That you've been gone

Mike Shinoda asked this to Chester, I and every other Barca fan is asking you this Tito. Where’d you go?

Bless us from the abode Tito, we need every bit of it. Bless us become the club that you could’ve made us into. Maybe the almighty loved you more than we do. I assure you, Tito, every Barca fan misses you today. Every Barca fan in this whole wide world.