The French point guard Thomas Heurtel will not live a second stage in Barça basketball. It was close. But his return to the Palau Blaugrana to replace Neto was frustrated on another plane, the one that brought him to Barcelona from Shenzen (China), to, in theory, sign with the Barcelona club today.
Upon arriving in Barcelona, the Frenchman was warned that he would not sign for Barça, that president Laporta was backing down. The reason: the signs of rejection by Blaugrana fans at the return of the considered Luis Figo of basketball, in a wave of indignation that swept through social networks when the club’s intention to hire the Frenchman was announced.
Upon arrival in Barcelona
The Frenchman landed in Barcelona first thing in the morning and mid-morning the club informed him that they would not sign him.
The agreement between Barça and the French point guard was total. That is why he had traveled with his family from Shenzen, to sign today after undergoing the medical examination.
In fact, Heurtel, 35, was excited upon his arrival at El Prat airport: “It is a very good opportunity for both of us, I am very happy to be here,” he declared first thing in the morning, without yet knowing the step back from Laporta. “I am more than prepared and motivated and eager to get started,” Heurtel said. “I have spoken with everyone, I have spoken with Juanki (Navarro), I have spoken with Mario (Fernández), I have spoken with Joan (Peñarroya)… everything is good, super happy to return, really looking forward to getting started, to getting to know the group.”
However, mid-morning, Barça informed Heurtel that they were going back on their decision to hire him and that they would not sign. The player is in a hotel in Barcelona awaiting events.
A strange episode
Thomas Heurtel played for Barça between 2017 and 2021, with good records and outstanding contributions in winning three Copas del Rey and one ACB League.
However, on January 19, 2021, both parties mutually agreed to terminate the contract since the player was in negotiations with Real Madrid behind Barça’s back. His image among the fans had been greatly damaged, since they saw it as another case of betrayal similar to those in football with Luis Figo, or Schuster before.
When it was revealed that he was negotiating with Madrid, in December 2020, Barça was in Istanbul, where he had played with Anadolu Efes. Upon returning to Barcelona, Jasikevicius and sports director Nacho Rodríguez decided to leave Heurtel at the Istanbul airport, without traveling with the team.
That is why every time Heurtel has returned to the Palau Blaugrana as a rival (Asvel, Real Madrid and Zenit) the Barcelona fans have sung “Heurtel, where is the plane?”
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