Eduard "Edu" Oriol Gràcia (born 5 November 1986) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Xerez Deportivo FC as a winger.

Edu Oriol
Oriol being presented at Zaragoza
Personal information
Full name Eduard Oriol Gràcia
Date of birth (1986-11-05) 5 November 1986 (age 37)
Place of birth Cambrils, Spain
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
Xerez Deportivo FC
Youth career
2004–2005 Cambrils
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 Pobla Mafumet
2006–2007Reus (loan) 25 (1)
2008–2009 Sant Andreu 34 (5)
2009–2011 Barcelona B 60 (9)
2011–2013 Zaragoza 39 (2)
2013–2014 Khazar 6 (0)
2014 AEL Limassol 18 (5)
2014–2015 Blackpool 10 (0)
2015 Rapid București 14 (2)
2016 Llagostera 13 (0)
2016–2017 Tenerife 5 (0)
2017–2018 Ibiza 7 (4)
2018–2022 Sanluqueño 97 (12)
2022–2023 CD Utrera 15 (0)
2023 UCAM Murcia 17 (1)
2023– Xerez Deportivo FC 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 July 2023 (UTC)

Club career edit

Born in Cambrils, Tarragona, Catalonia, Oriol started playing with amateurs CF Pobla de Mafumet, having a loan spell with CF Reus Deportiu whilst on contract with the former. In the 2008–09 season, still in his native region, he competed in the Segunda División B with UE Sant Andreu.

Oriol moved to FC Barcelona in the summer of 2009, helping the reserves return to the Segunda División by appearing in 29 games and scoring three goals. After once again featuring heavily for Barça B in the 2010–11 campaign, as the team finished in third position – being however ineligible for playoff promotion – he signed for La Liga club Real Zaragoza for three years.[1]

Oriol made his debut in the top flight on 28 August 2011, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 0–6 home loss against Real Madrid.[2] He joined Azerbaijan Premier League's Khazar Lankaran FK in late August 2013 on a two-year contract,[3] following the Aragonese's relegation,[4] and won his first piece of silverware on 23 October after helping his new team to victory over Neftchi Baku PFC, in that year's Azerbaijan Supercup.[5]

On 13 January 2014 Oriol's contract with Khazar was cancelled by mutual consent, after he failed to settle in Azerbaijan.[6] The following day, he penned a two-year deal with AEL Limassol in the Cypriot First Division.[7]

On 18 August 2014, Oriol agreed to a one-year contract with the option of a further year with Football League Championship side Blackpool, linking up with his twin brother Joan.[8] His contract was terminated by mutual consent on 12 January 2015,[9] and he moved to the Romanian Liga I with FC Rapid București.[10]

Oriol subsequently returned to his homeland and its second tier, featuring rarely for UE Llagostera[11] and CD Tenerife.[12] In late November 2017 the 31-year-old signed with amateurs UD Ibiza,[13] leaving at the end of the season.[14]

Personal life edit

Oriol's twin brother, Joan, was also a footballer. A defender, he shared teams with his sibling on several occasions.[15]

Career statistics edit

As of 4 February 2018
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sant Andreu 2008–09[16] Segunda División B 34 5 2 0 1[a] 0 37 5
Barcelona B 2009–10[16] Segunda División B 29 3 6[a] 0 35 3
2010–11[16] Segunda División 31 6 31 6
Total 60 9 6 0 66 9
Zaragoza 2011–12[16] La Liga 20 2 2 0 22 2
2012–13[16] La Liga 19 0 4 0 23 0
Total 39 2 6 0 45 2
Khazar 2013–14[17] Azerbaijan Premier League 6 0 2 0 8 0
AEL Limassol 2013–14[17] Cypriot First Division 18 5 1 0 19 5
Blackpool 2014–15[17] Championship 10 0 0 0 10 0
Rapid București 2014–15[17] Liga I 14 2 0 0 14 2
Llagostera 2015–16[16] Segunda División B 13 0 0 0 13 0
Tenerife 2016–17[16] Segunda División 5 0 0 0 5 0
Ibiza 2017–18 Tercera División 6 4 0 0 6 4
Career total 205 27 11 0 7 0 223 27
  1. ^ a b Appearance in Segunda División play-offs

Honours edit

Khazar

References edit

  1. ^ "El Real Zaragoza ficha a dos jugadores de la cantera del F.C. Barcelona" [Real Zaragoza sign two players from F.C. Barcelona's youth system]. Heraldo de Aragón (in Spanish). 2 July 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  2. ^ "Ronaldo gets Madrid show underway". ESPN Soccernet. 28 August 2011. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Edu Oriol "Xəzər Lənkəran"da!" [Edu Oriol to Khazar Lankaran!] (in Azerbaijani). FK Khazar. August 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Barcelonanın sabiq üzvü rəsmən Xəzər Lənkəranda! (foto)" [Khazar Lankaran sign former Barcelona player! (photo)] (in Azerbaijani). Azeri Sport. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  5. ^ a b Almagro, Rubén (26 October 2021). "El Sanluqueño trae a La Línea al MVP de la última jornada: Edu Oriol" [Sanluqueño bring last round's MVP to La Línea: Edu Oriol] (in Spanish). Europa Sur. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  6. ^ Испанец расторг контракт с Хазаром (in Russian). Azeri Football. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  7. ^ Castro, Rafael (14 January 2014). "Edu Oriol cambia Azerbaiyán por Chipre" [Edu Oriol swaps Azerbaijan for Cyprus] (in Spanish). Fichajes. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Another Oriol arrives". Blackpool F.C. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  9. ^ "Oriol twins head out of Pool". Blackpool Gazette. 13 January 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  10. ^ "Joan Oriol se desparte de Rapid, dar promite: "Nu aș putea juca în România la altă echipă". Ce oferte are" [Joan Oriol cuts ties with Rapid, but promises: "I could not play with another team in Romania." What offers are there?] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  11. ^ "El Llagostera ficha a Edu Oriol y rescinde el contrato de Ortuño" [Llagostera sign Edu Oriol and terminate Ortuño's contract]. Marca (in Spanish). 13 January 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  12. ^ "Edu Oriol deja el Llagostera y ficha por el Tenerife" [Edu Oriol leaves Llagostera and signs for Tenerife]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). 26 June 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  13. ^ "Edu Oriol nuevo jugador de la UD Ibiza" [Edu Oriol new UD Ibiza player] (in Spanish). Fútbol Balear. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  14. ^ "Edu Oriol no continúa en la UD Ibiza" [Edu Oriol does not remain at UD Ibiza]. Periódico de Ibiza (in Spanish). 16 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Edu y Joan Oriol: tú al Barça, yo al Villarreal" [Edu and Joan Oriol: you go to Barça, i go to Villarreal]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 29 December 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g "Edu Oriol: Eduard Oriol Gracia". BDFutbol. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  17. ^ a b c d "Edu Oriol". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 February 2015.

External links edit