The forward has conceded the team has missed the influential coach but is delighted at the 44-year-old's return to Camp Nou following cancer treatment in New York
Cristian Tello says Barcelona "needed" Tito Vilanova back, with the Liga leaders' squad having been under the caretaker charge of assistant coach Jordi Roura for the last two months.
Barcelona travels to Celta Vigo on Saturday with Vilanova possibly making his return to the dugout for the first time since flying to New York on Jan. 22 for therapy to treat his throat cancer.
The Catalans have a seemingly unassailable 13-point lead at the top of La Liga but crashed out of the Copa del Rey to arch rivals Real Madrid during the manager's time in America.
"We are pleased by the return of Tito," Tello told reporters on Wednesday. "We all needed it. We have been told he'll be coming back gradually, but the important thing is that he is recovering well and is back with us."
Although Barcelona has a cushion at the top of La Liga, a tough test awaits it in the quarterfinals of the Champions League with the first leg of the clash with Paris Saint-Germain taking place in France next week.
The challenge awaiting the Blaugrana at the Parc des Princes has been made tougher after former Barca striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was cleared to play by UEFA having had his two-match ban for a red card against Valencia reduced to one.
"PSG are a complicated rival and even more so with the addition of Ibra," Tello said. "They are equipped in defenSe and attack, have very quick players, and with the addition of Ibra they will be strong and good in the air, too."
