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Post Pep: What will the Vilanova era bring?

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After a playing career which to be fair, cannot be compared to that of his predecessor, Vilanova became technical director at Terrassa FC, a small club from Catalonia. Barcelona B, in the fourth Spanish division at the time, soon appointed ‘Tito’ as assistant manager under a certain young, aspiring coach with a full head of hair. Guardiola and Vilanova led the B side to the third division in 2008 and were subsequently rewarded with replacing Frank Rijkaard and John Neeskens of the first team.

The history books are weighted with the ink of the two Catalans’ success as a managerial team; it is now time Vilanova has to lead the scripture of his own novels.

At the time of writing, Barcelona lead Real Madrid by 8 points in Liga Primera after Mourinho’s team have not played well since the Supercup, as said by the Portuguese controversy causer himself. Plus, an evidently unsettled Cristiano Ronaldo has further worked in the Blaugrana‘s advantage. Although the Madrid manager’s ‘eye-gauging’ of his new rival in the 2011 Supercup provoked theories of proposed anger and revenge now the two come face to face, Vilanova insisted he is not looking to settle any disputes.

Barca’s journey has been a fairly positive one so far: unbeaten in the league, they have played outstandingly well, quite poor and uncharacteristically average. Whatever the case, points have been won. Their most recent fixture, away to Getafe, resulted in a 4-1 victory and helped extend their lead on Los Blancos. Cesc Fàbregas returned to exhilarating form and overall, the team impressed, despite a lengthy injury list which currently includes European Player of the Year, Andres Iniesta.

With a remarkably surprising lead on their rivals this early in the season, Vilanova’s priority should be, and will be, consistency. Guardiola’s alteration of his own genius, along with injuries toward the latter of last term, resulted in the direct opposite. An increased substantial and sustainable battle plan will only work magic for one of the few teams who profoundly, deservedly stood on top of the world. A team which, after Guardiola ‘burnt out’ and departed, many predicted and feared would return to wallow in Real Madrid’s intimidating shadow once again in the endless, momentous war between two deeply admired, equally envied, age-old giants.

Let us not forget, it may only be early in the season; however, Vilanova, the confidently subtle tactician from Catalonia, who has a reformed take on life and a concrete ambition of toppling Mourinho’s Madrid along with the rest of the world, is about to team hard work with fantasy in aid of seizing and retrieving the priceless dream of champions.

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