Barcelona captain Carles Puyol believes that Pep Guardiola's replacement Tito Vilanova is the perfect man to take the club forward.

Guardiola announced that he would not be renewing his contract at the Nou Camp, leaving the Catalan giants at the end of the season.

However, despite being upset with the news, Puyol has claimed that 42-year-old Vilanova is the ideal choice to maintain continuity at the club.

"He knows the team better than anyone, as well as its philosophy," said Puyol.

"He has worked side by side with Pep all this time. It will be more or less the same as up till now.

"The philosophy and the idea will be the same. He is the ideal person to continue this project."

Puyol has been at Barcelona since joining the youth team in 1995.