Vilanova travels to US for cancer treatment

The coach will not be with his side's Copa del Rey return leg against Cordoba on Thursday night, reports Xinhua.

Vilanova's return to the dugout Sunday to direct his side's 4-0 win against Espanyol less than three weeks after undergoing a cancer operation was the best news to come out of matchday 18 in the Spanish Primera Liga.

The Barca coach had suffered a relapse from the illness which was originally treated in November 2011.

Speaking after the weekend game, he had told the press that there was still a way to go before he was cured.

"This isn't over yet and there are days when I will be able to coach and others when I won't be able. I know I have a public position but the illness is mine and as such it is private and I ask you to respect that privacy," said Vilanova, who will see specialists at the Sloan-Kettering Memorial Hospital in New York.

Vilanova's trip means the Barca side will be directed by his assistant, Jordi Roura in Thursday's Copa del Rey tie, in which they take a 2-0 lead from the first leg to their Camp Nou Stadium.

The Catalan side currently have an 11 point lead over second place Atletico Madrid in the league and are 16 points ahead of bitter rivals, Real Madrid.