Joan Peñarroya named as FC Barcelona’s new basketball head coach

Joan Peñarroya has been announced as the new basketball head coach at FC Barcelona until 2026. The Catalan is coming to the club after a distinguished career with a number of ACB sides, although this will be the biggest challenge yet. 

The 55-year-old arrives from, who he coached in 2022/23 and for part of 2023/24. He knows all about playing in the Basketball Champions League, Eurocup and EuroLeague, and has coached more than 300 games in the ACB. 

Highly experienced

A native of Terrassa, his first coaching experience was in the Liga EBA with CB Olesa (2006-09) and CB Navàs (2009-10). 

His excellent trajectory caught the attention of Bàsquet Andorra, where he coached for the best part of a decade (2010-2018), guiding the team all the way into the ACB, followed by Copa del Rey qualification in 2017 and the club’s best ever finish of sixth in the regular season.

Peñarroya then went to the club where he had spent 11 of his playing years, Manresa, and followed that with a stint at San Pablo Burgos, where he was put in charge of a huge project to promote the club and city that climaxed in the Covid-affected year when they knocked Real Madrid out of the league playoffs. He also led the side to victory in the Basketball Champions League and Intercontinental Cup in 2021.

València and Baskonia

Valencia then secured his services, and progressed all the way to the semi-finals of the Eurocup. In 2021, he switched to Baskonia, but despite some very pretty attacking basketball, they fell out of the EuroLeague at the hands of Zalgiris, who would go on to play Barça. Although he was meant to be in Vitoria for two years, his contract was severed ahead of time.  

Playing career

Manresa had been his main club as a player, where he totalled 11 seasons across three separate spells, the highlight being Copa del Rey victory in 1996. He also played for Tenerife (1990-91), León (1997-99) and Ourense (1999-01). He retired from professional duty in 2003, but continued playing for CB Aracena-Ponts (2003-04) and Olesa (2004-05) before opting to make his move into management.