Edu Oriol

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Oriol and the second or maternal family name is Gràcia.

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 38)
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
2006–2007	→ Reus (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

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

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

Career statistics

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. Appearance in Segunda División play-offs

Honours

Khazar

• Azerbaijan Supercup: 2013^[5]

References

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. 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. "Edu Oriol: Eduard Oriol Gracia". BDFutbol. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
17. "Edu Oriol". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 February 2015.

External links

• Edu Oriol at BDFutbol
• Edu Oriol at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)