Israeli Ori Goren Impresses in Barcelona Debut at Camp Nou

Israeli midfielder Ori Goren made a strong impression during his debut for Barcelona's first team at Camp Nou in the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Al Ahly on August 19, 2026. Coming off the bench, Goren played 28 minutes and nearly scored following a notable play by teammate Anthony Gordon. He received the highest rating on the Barcelona squad for his performance, earning an 8 alongside Rafinha from the Catalan sports outlet Sport.

Goren was substituted for Pedri in a pre-planned move aimed at giving Pedri more playing time after the World Cup. This match marked Goren's first appearance at the iconic stadium, where he quickly created a scoring opportunity within seven minutes. Spanish media praised his classy play and predicted he would receive more chances with the senior team this season.

Reports from Spanish outlets such as Sport and AS highlighted the trust coach Hansi Flick places in Barcelona's academy players, calling Goren's debut a "great baptism of fire." Although Goren and teammate Xavi Esparit were initially expected to join Barcelona B, the coach opted to keep them with the first team to maximize their minutes. The Joan Gamper Trophy served as Barcelona's final preseason match before the upcoming La Liga season, with Goren expected to spend much of the season with the reserves.