Barcelona captain Carles Puyol has confirmed that manager Tito Vilanova's throat surgery "went well".

The 44-year-old suffered a relapse after a cancerous tumour that was removed last year and the Spaniard has since begun the process of recovery.

"It was a hard day but [Vilanova] came to the dressing room and explained everything to us and boosted our spirits," BBC Sport quotes Puyol as saying.

"He hadn't even left yet and he was saying he couldn't wait to be back. Today we feel better because the news is good. We have to keep playing the same way, train as hard as we can, and look forward to his return."

Vilanova, who replaced Pep Guardiola at the end of last season, is expected to undergo six weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.