Israeli Teen Oriyan Goren Impresses Barcelona Coach During Preseason Camp

Seventeen-year-old Israeli footballer Oriyan Goren has made a significant breakthrough at FC Barcelona during their preseason preparations. Having joined Barcelona's famed La Masia academy from Maccabi Petah Tikva at age 14, Goren capitalized on the absence of senior players resting after the World Cup to train with the first team and participate in the England training camp. His performances in training sessions and friendly matches, including substitute appearances against Birmingham and internal games at St George's Park, caught the attention of Barcelona's head coach, Hans-Dieter Flick. Flick praised Goren's potential, describing him as a "huge talent" who surprised him with his abilities.

Catalan media, particularly Mundo Deportivo, referred to Goren as an "unpolished diamond" and highlighted Flick's clear message to the coaching staff to closely monitor the young midfielder's development. Despite the positive reception in Spain, Goren faced online backlash from pro-Palestinian social media users targeting him because of his Israeli nationality. In response, prominent Spanish journalist Jaume Marset publicly defended Goren, emphasizing his exemplary behavior and value to the club, condemning calls to exclude him based on his origin, and urging respect and empathy to keep politics out of sports.

Following the England camp, Goren is set to continue with Barcelona's squad during their next preseason phase in Italy, where they will face Udinese and Nottingham Forest. Upon returning to Spain and with the senior players rejoining for the Joan Gamper Trophy, Goren is expected to integrate into Barcelona's reserve team. The strong support from the coaching staff and teammates suggests this is just the beginning of a promising career for the young Israeli midfielder.