By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The relationship between Pierre Oriola and FC Barcelona reached its end on Thursday.
Oriola, 30, announced his departure through his personal account on Instagram. He confirmed rumors of recent months regarding not being part of Barca’s 2022-23 squad.
The Tarrega-born forward/center joined the Catalonia powerhouse in 2017 and was named team captain in 2020. Over the last five years, he logged 142 appearances in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague tallying 5.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. In addition, he put in 160 more games played in Spain’s Liga Endesa upping his personal total to 317.
Coming in from Valencia in 2017, he penned a four-year contract. Three years later, he inked a contract extension lasting until the end of the 2023-24 season. But his contract was terminated unilaterally by Barcelona, as he noted in the farewell message.
“Today I put an end to a dream. My dream,” was the emotional start, “Five years wearing the jersey of the best club in the world, defending these colors and above all always aware of what Barca is and what this emblem means.”
Before landing at Barcelona, he spent the 2016-17 season at Valencia. Previous teams in Spain range from Sevilla and Suzuki/Assignia Manresa in the top-tier division to Sant Nicolau and Lleida in the second division.
The next step for Oriola is expected to be at Girona, the newly-promoted ACB team controlled by Marc Gasol, who is also a player for the team based in Catalonia.