BARCELONA — Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova led his first team practice Friday since returning from a 10-week medical stay in New York to treat a throat tumor. Barcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura said that Vilanova would direct the session but that he would not accompany the team to Saturday's Spanish league match at Celta Vigo. “Tito's return means a lot to all of us. The boss is back,” Roura said. “He is very loved by all the squad and his return will be a boost for us.” Roura said that Vilanova will continue to gradually work his way back into day-to-day duties and that the club hopes he can travel with the team to Paris for Tuesday's first-leg Champions League quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain. “Tito won't go to Vigo because the doctors said it would not be ideal,” Roura said. “In this phase of his treatment, side effects can reappear in seven to 10 days. So that's why he will have to wait. There are many possibilities that he will be in Paris if all goes well.” Roura has been in charge since Vilanova left for the US on Jan. 21 to receive chemotherapy and radiotherapy in a New York hospital following surgery to remove a second throat tumor in two years in late December. Vilanova returned to Barcelona Tuesday morning. ‘Rio stadium roof problems serious' The damage which has forced the abrupt closure of Rio de Janeiro's Joao Havelange Stadium is serious and it will take up to two months just to find a solution, engineers have said. The six-year-old arena, scheduled to host the athletics events at the 2016 Olympic games, was shut Tuesday because of structural damage to the roof in a major embarrassment for Brazilian sporting authorities. “We've received a report about the stadium and it did not come with any solutions attached,” said Armando Queiroga, president of the city government's public works department RioUrbe. Authorities said the roof could present a risk for spectators if the wind reached over 63 kilometers per hour. The stadium is currently the city's main soccer venue as the Maracana is rebuilt for the Confederations Cup this year and the 2014 World Cup. — Agencies
