Barcelona Coach Flick Praises Israeli Teen Orian Goren After Birmingham Friendly

Orian Goren, the 17-year-old Israeli midfielder, continues to impress at Barcelona, making his second appearance with the senior team during a preseason friendly against Birmingham on July 31, 2026. Although Barcelona lost 3-2 on penalties, coach Hans-Dieter Flick expressed satisfaction with the young squad's performance during their training camp in England. Flick highlighted the need for players to show more confidence on the ball and play more between the lines, especially noting some first-half struggles and mistakes in build-up play, but overall praised the team's display.

Spanish media outlets lauded Goren's technical skills and versatility in midfield. Mundo Deportivo noted his efforts to create numerical advantages and dangerous situations, while Sport acknowledged his flashes of quality despite needing more freedom and confidence. Journalist Albert Blaya Sensat called Goren and teammate Diarra "excellent minutes" and described Barcelona as having "a lot of raw material." The club's official website emphasized Goren as the second youngest player in preseason after Ibrahima Tonkara and highlighted his technical and versatile abilities.

Social media users compared Goren to Barcelona legends like Iniesta and Pedri, praising his technical talent and potential. Flick specifically mentioned striker Hamza Abdelkarim, who scored twice in the match, as having great potential alongside the other young players. Flick stressed the importance of these players demonstrating their quality on the pitch and applying their existing skills, appreciating the technical level, sharpness, and team atmosphere.

Hamza Abdelkarim himself reflected on the team's gradual improvement and expressed hope to score more goals for Barcelona and show fans more of his abilities. The friendly match and training camp serve as valuable experience for Barcelona's promising young squad as they prepare for the upcoming season.