Orian Goren, the 17-year-old Israeli midfielder who has spent the past three years rising through La Masia, got his first minutes in a Barcelona senior shirt on Friday, coming off the bench in a 4-1 preseason win over Catalan side CE Europa.
ONE reports that Goren was introduced in the second half at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, Barcelona's training complex, in a match played behind closed doors as the club opened its 2026-27 preseason schedule. Head coach Hansi Flick fielded a squad drawn heavily from La Masia and the reserve ranks, with most first-team regulars still to report for training.
It is another marker in a rapid rise for Goren, who was born in Savyon in March 2009 and joined Maccabi Petah Tikva's youth setup at the age of eight. His family relocated to Spain when he was 14, and he passed Barcelona's academy trials to join La Masia in 2023 — going on to sign his first professional contract with the club at 16.
Spanish outlets covering Barcelona's academy have repeatedly flagged Goren as one of the standout prospects of his age group at the club, drawing comparisons to Andrés Iniesta and Pedri for his passing range and game intelligence. He was among the youngest players included in Flick's preseason party this summer, alongside 2010-born teenager Ebrima Tunkara.
Goren has already represented Israel at youth level, debuting for the under-17s in March 2025 during European Championship qualifying and featuring for the under-19s since. Friday's appearance does not amount to a competitive senior debut, but it is his first time on the pitch alongside Barcelona's first-team environment in a match setting.
ONE notes that Goren is expected to keep training with the senior group through the rest of preseason camp as he continues trying to catch Flick's eye before the squad reconverges around its established stars.
