Tito Vilanova steps down as Barcelona coach

               Tito Vilanova is stepping down as Barcelona's coach following a recurrence of throat cancer, just a month before Lionel Messi and his teammates begin the defense of their Spanish league title.

      Club president Sandro Rosell told a hurriedly called news conference at Barcelona's training facility on Friday that Vilanova will "follow a treatment" that will be "incompatible" with staying on as coach.

       Rosell said that a new head coach would be named next week and that Barcelona was cancelling its first friendly of the preseason, scheduled to be played in Poland on Saturday against Lechia Gdansk.