Orian Goren faces a fateful test at Barcelona: "Very high expectations"
The Israeli midfielder, who has been training with the senior team, is trying to earn his place in the squad during the preseason camp while most of the Spanish squad is missing. "Sport" notes: "His future under Hansi Flick may be at stake."
Barcelona will play its first preparatory match for the 2026/27 season tonight (Friday) with a significantly depleted squad, missing players who participated in the World Cup, especially those who won the tournament for the Spanish national team. According to "Sport", the one who may benefit from this situation is Orian Goren.
In total, 17 players from Barcelona's youth and reserve teams, including the Israeli midfielder, are expected to receive playing time against the team "Europa", which plays in the third division and is based in Catalonia. According to "Sport", this is an "important match where their place under Hansi Flick may be at stake."
Among the players expected to receive minutes is Orian Goren, who, according to reports, is impressing the coaching staff at the training camp and is trying to earn his place in the squad that will travel to England for the preseason camp: "This is a decisive test for many of them," wrote "Sport" regarding the academy players, "they are seeking to secure their place in the squad that will travel to England."
So far, the only player returning from the World Cup in the coming days is Raphinha. This is due to the long-term injury of Frenkie de Jong and the absence of João Cancelo, who has not yet completed his official transfer: "The expectations to stay in the team are very high. Everyone has a lot at stake, but for some, even more."
"A player who is very loved at the club"
Last week, "Mundo Deportivo" writer Jordi Cardero referred to three young players who will get the opportunity to train with the senior team during the preparation period: Abrima Tonkara, Hafiz Gariba, and Goren. According to him, in the case of the Israeli, it is a player who is "very loved at the top of the club," but the invitation to training is primarily part of his development process.
"I think that both in the case of Abrima and in the case of Orian, it is more of a reinforcement from the club towards them, and not necessarily Flick's idea to add them to the first team," said Cardero.
Regarding Goren himself, the Spanish journalist added: "This is a player who is very loved at the club. It is a profile of an internal midfielder, different from Abrima — a more technical player, in the style of Andrés Iniesta. In La Masia, they even compare him to Pedri." According to him, Goren's coaching staff uses videos of the young Barcelona star to teach him movements and elements from his game.
Alongside the compliments, Cardero also emphasized that one should be careful about setting excessive expectations around young players. "When talking about Abrima and Orian, the goal is for the public to get to know them, not to crown them," he said. "One must respect the development processes, and not every player from the youth team immediately becomes a senior player."
