All details revealed how Thomas Heurtel was left in Istanbul by FC Barcelona / News - Basketnews.com

Three years ago, FC Barcelona excluded Thomas Heurtel from the team plane in Istanbul following his negotiations with Real Madrid, revealing internal disagreements between the coaching staff and management about the decision.

Credit: BasketNews.lt/D.Repečka Credit BasketNews.lt/D.Repečka

A little over three years ago, a scandal in European basketball involved FC Barcelona, led by coach Sarunas Jasikevicius, and player Thomas Heurtel.

Thomas Heurtel

Position:PG, SGAge:34Height:188 cmWeight:91 kgBirth place:FranceProfileNewsStatistics

Following a EuroLeague game against Anadolu Efes in Istanbul on Dec. 22, 2020, the controversy arose after Barcelona decided not to let Heurtel on the team plane, leaving him stranded in Turkey.

Heurtel had traveled to Istanbul despite not being expected to play in that game for the Catalans. According to his agency, BeoBasket, he was in talks with Fenerbahce. However, the reaction was unparalleled when Barcelona discovered that Heurtel was instead negotiating with their Spanish archrivals, Real Madrid.

In a recent interview with Javier Ortiz of Jot Down Sport, Barca basketball section manager at that time, Nacho Rodriguez, shed light on the situation. Rodriguez disclosed that former staff with Saras in front initiated the decision to exclude Heurtel.

"I'm going to tell it as it was, and it's the first time I'm going to do it. I spoke with his agent, Misko Raznatovic, and we negotiated because the player wanted to leave, and the coach did not count on him. We reached an agreement.The Sunday before our EuroLeague game in Istanbul, Misko informed me that Thomas wanted to travel with the team.

We were in the process of signing [Leo] Westermann from Fenerbahce. Everyone told me that he was going there. That is an exchange of players. Obviously, when you reach an agreement, you don't ask where the player is going to go. It is not usually asked.We headed to Istanbul, and Thomas didn't train; my belief was that he would undergo a medical examination with Fenerbahce.

By Tuesday morning, information started circulating that he was set to sign with Real Madrid. We had already agreed to pay him almost 90% of the outstanding amount. I contacted the agent, still awaiting the signed termination, and raised my concerns. He tells me that he doesn't know. 'Look, you can't go to Madrid. I'm not going to pay for the party for you to go to the biggest rival,' I told him. I made it clear that the document was not going to be signed, and I also explained it to the player.

FC Barcelona / Schedule

Anadolu Efes Istanbul FC Barcelona98-74 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan FC BarcelonaFri19:30

After the game, I entered the locker room. Saras tells me, 'Hey, Nacho, Heurtel won't travel with us, right?' I tell him, 'Of course [he will travel with the team], how are we going to leave a player stranded here in a pandemic? Saras, he has to travel no matter what. We cannot do such things.' 'No, Nacho, he cannot. He wanted to go to Madrid.' I say, 'No, no, no, Saras, no, we can't mix the two things.' And I go outside.

After consulting with the club people, they emphasized we couldn't leave him in Istanbul. When I returned to the locker room, the entire technical staff was there, nine people. 'Hey, Nacho, have you thought about it well?' I say, 'Of course. He comes with us. If he had gone to Madrid, well, he's already there. Tomorrow, we can say whatever.'And Saras insists that it simply cannot be.'What do you all think?' he asked the staff.

Everyone [physical trainer, doctors, coaches] said one by one that no, that 'with what he had done' he had to stay in Istanbul.I may not see it, but if nine people here agree,then that's it. Well, let him stay here, get a plane ticket, and leave him at the hotel.

... You can't do that to a player on your team. It was a very serious mistake to leave Heurtel in Istanbul."

In the 2020-21 season, Heurtel did not make a move to Real Madrid, finishing the season with ASVEL Villeurbanne in his homeland.

Reports during that season suggested that he had an agreement with Real for the following season, which indeed materialized.

Heurtel played for Barcelona from 2017 to 2020.

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