Barcelona to pay Vilanova's £6.5m-a-year salary during cancer treatment on top of cost for new boss Martino



Barcelona are to honour their contract with Tito Vilanova and continue to pay him the final year of his £6.5million contract as he recovers from cancer treatment for the third time.

Vice-president Javier Faus, when speaking about new manager Gerardo Martino, said: ' Martino’s signing will be at an added cost, since Tito Vilanova will be with us.



'We are sad to have this situation because of Tito’s disease, but we must accept it.'

Remembered: Tito Vilanova had to give up his post at Barcelona to deal with his throat cancer

Extra: Vilanova's salary will be on top of the money they are paying new coach Gerardo Martino

Reports suggest that when Vilanova completes his treatment in New York, where he also went after his illness flared up in 2012, he could return to the club and continue in a position with less stress.

Vilanova underwent surgery on Tuesday in Barcelona to try and deal with his cancer of the parotid gland in the throat and it was described by Mundo Deportivo as 'satisfactory'.

Barcelona played Bayern Munich on Wednesday in their first testing pre-season match and lost 2-0 after Philipp Lahm and Mario Mandzukic both scored in Germany.