Barcelona's Orien Goren to Miss La Liga Opener Against Elche as Club Manages Young Talent

Barcelona is preparing for its La Liga season opener against Elche on Sunday at 21:30, but 17-year-old Israeli midfielder Orien Goren will not be part of the squad. Despite impressing during preseason under coach Hansi Flick and participating in first-team preparations, Goren was excluded from the matchday roster. Instead, he has been assigned to train with Barcelona Atlètic under coach Juliano Balti and is expected to feature in their friendly against Vilanova. This decision reflects his young age and the depth of Flick's squad, which includes more experienced reserve players like Xavi Esparat, Alvaro Cortes, and Hamza Abd El-Karim.

Goren made a strong impression in preseason matches, including notable minutes in Barcelona's 2-1 victory over Egyptian club Al Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy last week, signaling his promising future at the club. Alongside Goren, young talents Ibrahima Tonkara and Belgian winger Jessy Bisiw, who is still awaiting visa clearance, have also been moved to the reserve squad. Barcelona's management appears focused on gradually integrating these young players while managing squad balance ahead of the demanding league campaign.