Madrid – Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova will return to New York Monday for a few days to continue his treatment for throat cancer.
Vilanova, 42, said he would spend four days at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan.
He received specialised treatment at the centre from January until April, leaving Barca in the hands of his assistant Jordi Roura.
“I will leave on Monday and return on Thursday,” said Vilanova a couple of hours after Barcelona had virtually clinched the Spanish Liga title by beating Real Betis 4-2 at home.
“I will only miss Wednesday's training session. This has been planned for a while. I will also have to go back there in June, when the league has finished. This is normal procedure after lengthy treatment.”
Barca could become champions in Vilanova's absence. If second-placed Real Madrid do not beat Malaga at home Wednesday then Barca will automatically be champions for the 22nd time.
Real are currently 11 points behind Barca.
Vilanova was assistant to the hugely successful Pep Guardiola from 2008 to 2012, then took over as head coach when the latter stepped down a year ago.
Barca said last week that Vilanova would continue in charge next season, despite his health problems, and despite the painful 7-0 aggregate defeat suffered against Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the Champions League. – Sapa-dpa