AS.com

On Wednesday morning, Barcelona president Sandro Rosell travelled with vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu to New York to discuss plans for next season with 'azulgrana' coach Tito Vilanova.

Vilanova is currently in the United States undergoing treatment on a tumour which recurred at Christmas. It is thought that the Nou Camp boss will return to Barcelona at the end of March.

The meeting - which will not be attended by sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta - has been arranged in order for Rosell and Bartomeu to be given a first-hand update on the coach's health. Recently, Bartomeu himself gave an interview to the television channel 'BTV' in which he assured that the progress of Vilanova's recovery was 'satisfactory'.

The team's immediate future is also expected to be covered during the talks in 'The Big Apple'. The discussions will include possible transfer targets, as well as Vilanova's physical and mental readiness to remain in charge next term (he has two years remaining on his contract).

The trip, which is expected to last until Friday, comes at the most delicate point in Barça's season so far. On the back of a 2-0 loss to AC Milan in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, the Catalan outfit were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Real Madrid after a 3-1 defeat at the Camp Nou. This reverse has led to question marks being placed over the club in the media, with the speculation focusing on Vilanova's continued absence from the Barcelona bench.