BARCELONA, Spain - Tito Vilanova, the coach who succeeded Pep Guardiola at Barcelona and won the Spanish league title in his only season in charge, died Friday following a long battle with throat cancer. Julio Jones College Jersey . He was 45. Vilanova, who has battled a recurring tumour in a saliva gland, was admitted to a local hospital in Barcelona last week. He reportedly had emergency surgery on Thursday. "It is with sadness that Barcelona must announce that Francesc Tito Vilanova has died today at the age of 45," Barcelona said in a statement on its website. "The death of our former coach occurred this afternoon when he could not overcome this disease which he had battled since 2011." Vilanovas death prompted an outpouring of condolences from players and coaches across Europe. Barcelona star Lionel Messi posted a photograph of himself with Vilanova on his Facebook page with the message: "We will always remember you. All my sympathy goes to Titos family." Former Barcelona defender Eric Abidal, who recovered from liver cancer and a liver transplant to help hoist the 2012-13 league trophy with Vilanova, wrote on Twitter: "For everything we went through together, I will always remember you, my friend. Thanks for fighting." Spains royal family and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also sent telegrams to Vilanovas family and Barcelona, according to the Europa Press news agency. Vilanova first became ill in November 2011, while still an assistant to Guardiola, and took a leave of absence after undergoing surgery. The soft-spoken Vilanova returned and took over from Guardiola the next season, when he led Barcelona to the Spanish league title with a record-tying 100 points. Vilanova had a second tumour removed in December 2012 and travelled to New York several times during the season to receive further treatment before returning to the sidelines. In April 2013, Vilanova said he felt fine and "had never thought about quitting." He finished the season before suddenly being forced to resign following a relapse in July. As an assistant, Vilanova helped Guardiola propel Barcelona into its most successful period and transform a team led by Messi into the worlds best. With a team that also included several of the players that led Spain to the World Cup title in 2010, Barcelona won 14 of a possible 19 major trophies from 2008-12 under Guardiola before adding the league title with Vilanova in 2013. Despite the impressive league display, Vilanova was unable to win another Champions League title last season. Barcelona lost to eventual champion Bayern Munich 7-0 on aggregate in the semifinals, one of its most humbling results of the last decade. As Guardiolas assistant, Vilanova provided the tactical know-how that helped the coach build one of the best teams in the history of the sport — winning two Champions League titles in its impressive haul. Vilanova will also be remembered for his role in a brawl in the 2010 Spanish Super Cup won by Barcelona, when Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho poked him in the eye. Mourinho, who is now at Chelsea, also sent his condolences "at this most difficult time." "Tito Vilanovas passing is a sad day for football, for Barcelona and most importantly for his family and friends," Mourinho said. Born in the Catalan village of Bellcaire dEmporda, Vilanova began his career as a player at Barcelonas training academy from 1984-89 but never made it to the first team. Instead, he went on to play for clubs such as Celta Vigo and Mallorca before his career was cut short by a serious knee injury. Vilanova then went into coaching and got a job in Barcelonas youth system, tutoring current players Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas and Messi. Vilanova left to work as sport director at third-division club Terrassa before returning to Barcelona to take over the clubs "Barca B" feeder team. His funeral will be on Monday at Barcelonas cathedral. Vilanova is survived by his wife, Montse Chaure, and two children. His son Adrian is currently in Barcelonas youth academy. AP Sports Writer Paul Logothetis contributed to this report from Madrid. Cheap Alabama Jerseys Authentic . But when it was all over they had wasted another lead, seen another pitcher flame out on the mound and lost their fourth straight at home. Reggie Ragland College Jersey . -- Masahiro Tanaka knows that first appearance in a spring training game for the New York Yankees will be scrutinized. http://www.cheapalabamajerseys.com/?tag=alabama-nick-saban-college-jersey . Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks were proof of that on Wednesday night. MONTREAL -- The Montreal Impact may have struggled on the road lately, but on Saturday night, the team proved once more that its home game is emphatically back on track. Marco Di Vaio scored two goals and Montreal won its second in a row with a 5-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo that launches the Impact into first place in Major League Soccers Eastern Conference. The Impact improved to 12-7-5 for 41 points in 24 games, matching their win total from last season in their MLS debut. Montreal extended its home winning streak to three, and is undefeated in their last five games (3-0-2) at Saputo Stadium. But in road games, Montreal is winless in its last five (0-4-1) dating back to a 2-1 win in Kansas City on June 1. "Were playing in Philadelphia next week and then were in Boston, and Houston later on," Di Vaio said. "Those are all teams that were competing with to make the playoffs, so its going to be so important for us to get those points in road games." Di Vaio and Felipe Martins scored minutes apart in the first half to put Montreal up by a pair. Jeb Brovsky made it 3-0 in the 58th minute and Di Vaio finished off a two-man break on a pass from Patrice Bernier for his fourth goal in two games. Andrea Pisano added his first Major League Soccer goal and the Impact won its second in a row, and its third straight at Saputo Stadium, to the delight of the sold-out crowd of 20,801. "The facts speak for us," Felipe said. "When we play like that we can do good things." Troy Perkins made a diving save on a header two minutes into the second half on his way to posting a clean sheet. Houston lost for just the second time in its last seven MLS games (4-2-1). "There was a great opportunity for us before the game and we didnt play well," Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall said. "We didnt play well enough to get a draw, not even close enough to get a win, and when you dont have a very good performance on the field against a team of Montreals calibre youre going to get a lot of goals scored on you." Impact forward Justin Mapp slammed a drive off the crossbar from inside the top of the 18-yard box 14 minutes into the match. T. J. Yeldon College Jersey. Di Vaio opened the scoring with his 14th goal in the 35th minute. The 37-year-old Italian striker took a pass from Mapp and shifted from his right foot to put a left-footed shot into the top left corner. Felipe made it 2-0 in the 37th minute when he paused to curl a shot around Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie and inside the right post. "I thought before I took my shot and Im happy because the ball went in," said the Brazilian forward, who celebrated with a samba as his teammates surrounded him after the goal. Brovsky scored his second goal of the season off a corner kick by Hernan Bernardello. Dynamo captain Brad Davis headed the kick but it went to Brovsky who put it home from the right post. "Hes a set-piece master," Brovsky said of Davis. "He whips them in pretty well and he put some good pace on it and thats why that far post run is there. If it gets through, you have to be there. Thats my job and fortunately I was there." Berniers unselfish play made it a four-goal lead as he drove in with Di Vaio and passed to his left for Di Vaio to put home his 15th goal. Andrea Pisanu scored Montreals fifth goal in stoppage time. Impact assistant coach Mauro Biello guided the team in place of head coach Marco Schallibaum, who served the first game of his two-game league suspension. "This was a big game," Biello said. "Houston was right behind us. Theyre a good team, a well-coached team. Theyre there every year. Theyve been to the finals the last two seasons. "They seem to always peak at the right moment so we were getting them at a moment where they were 4-1-1 in their last six so it was important. The guys were ready. They knew what was going to be in front of them and they reacted very well." 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