By ANTONY KASTRINAKIS
TITO VILANOVA has two reasons to beat cancer again — his children Adria and Carlota.
In a cruel twist of fate the Barcelona boss’ only interview about his first fight with cancer was screened last Sunday — just three days before he was diagnosed with the disease again.
He gave the interview back in September — and the only reason Vilanova, 44, spoke about his illness was to help raise funds in a TV charity marathon.
Vilanova welled up as he spoke of the agony he faced fearing his son Adria — who plays in Barcelona’s famed academy — and daughter Carlota might be left without a dad.
He said: “When they told me what I had it was a very tough moment and I thought of my children more than of myself.
“I felt they needed me still as they were only 14 and 17 years of age.
“They say I have been very strong. But I don’t know if I could have withstood this if I wasn’t the one who was ill but instead it was my children or my wife.”
Vilanova underwent a crucial operation on his parotid gland — the largest of the salivary glands — 13 months ago.
And the Barca chief recalled the day he was told he had cancer for the first time — he was then No 2 to Pep Guardiola at the Nou Camp.
He said: “I went to get the results of my tests and when I entered the doctor’s offices I saw my wife Montse, Pep Guardiola and his wife Cris, the Barca doctors. . .
“Seeing so many people I thought ‘Hmm, it must be really bad’. But I am a positive person and I immediately told myself, if there is no solution ‘bad luck’. If there is, we should get on with it and look for the best team.
“At the start we thought of having treatment outside of Spain because it was a complicated operation.
“I asked to speak to Dr Coro Bescos and she assured me she could do it, so I told her ‘Done — and there’s nothing more to say’.
“She transmitted so much confidence that I went into surgery like someone goes to a bar to drink a coffee.
“When I awoke I felt very happy.
“I had to have radiotherapy and chemo but I was back at work in a couple of weeks and felt very much loved. To avoid putting pressure on the doctor I didn’t want anyone from the club nor my closest colleagues to find out until after I had the operation.”
Vilanova added: “It was like someone who returns home tired and slumps on the sofa without any strength or desire to do anything until his house is on fire and he grabs everything he can to run away.
“I’ve been running since and it’s like two or three years have passed.
“You should never get nervous about anything. What today seems important tomorrow isn’t so any more.
“Nothing is sufficiently important in our work, all that matters is to be well.”
When Vilanova took over from the all-conquering Guardiola in the summer many said it was an impossible task.
But under his leadership, Barcelona have had the best start in La Liga history with 15 wins and one draw from the first 16 games. They are nine points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid and a further four clear of Real Madrid.
As the Barca boss undergoes an operation again this morning to remove a small tumour close to the original problem, the entire world will be praying for yet another Vilanova triumph.
