Players and staff from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain boycotted interviews with a TV broadcaster after a comment about Lamine Yamal was made live on air.
Before the match at Parc des Princes on Wednesday night, teenage star Yamal appeared in a segment on a pre-game show broadcast by Spanish network Movistar. During this segment, the Spain international was seen juggling the ball while Barcelona warmed up. “Look at the skill, look at the touches from Lamine Yamal,” remarked one analyst.
However, former Argentina goalkeeper German ‘Mono’ Burgos, known for his previous role as Diego Simeone’s assistant at Atletico Madrid, caused controversy. Burgos commented, “If football doesn’t work out for him, he could end up working at a traffic light.”
ESPN reported that this remark, which elicited laughter from other guests on the show, was criticized as ‘racist and classist’ because it referenced individuals who ask drivers for money at traffic lights.
Players and officials from Barcelona and PSG were informed of the controversial comment before kick-off and subsequently told Movistar they would not grant interviews.
During the broadcast, Movistar reporter Ricardo Sierra addressed the issue, saying, “I understand many of you want to hear from Barca players and coaches, but UEFA, PSG, and Barcelona have informed us they will not speak to us because they are upset about a comment made in the studio before the game. Therefore, there will be no reactions, and I apologize on behalf of the studio.”
Burgos has since apologized to Yamal, who performed well for Xavi’s team before being substituted by Joao Felix. Burgos remarked, “I wish I had the ability this kid has. My comment was not intended to hurt anyone. We only talk about football. If he felt offended, I am sorry and apologize publicly. It was not meant to offend. Sometimes humor can be problematic, and we need to adapt.”
Barcelona left Parc des Princes with a 1-0 advantage thanks to a late header from Andreas Christensen. Despite PSG taking a 2-1 lead with goals from Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha, Barcelona mounted a comeback with goals from Raphinha and Christensen to secure a 3-2 victory. Barcelona will look to advance to the Champions League semi-final when they host PSG on April 16.
