- German Burgos made a ‘racist’ comment about Lamine Yamal before the match
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Former Atletico Madrid assistant manager German Burgos was forced to apologize on Spanish television after a comment about Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal led to an interview boycott from both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
Former Atletico goalkeeper Burgos, who works as a pundit at Movistar Plus, spoke about footage of the Barcelona youngster juggling the ball on the touchline ahead of Barcelona’s match against PSG.
He said: ‘If he doesn’t do well, he could end up at a traffic light.’ The comment was a reference to people juggling change at traffic lights.
It was condemned online as insensitive at best and racist at worst and when both clubs involved in the match said they would not offer post-match interviews to the broadcaster until they apologized on air, first from the interview room of the Parc des Princes and then back into the studio.
Burgos said: ‘It was a comment without the intention of hurting anyone. If anyone was offended, I apologize publicly.”
Former Atletico Madrid assistant manager German Burgos was forced to apologize on Spanish television after a comment about Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal
Burgos made a comment about Barça’s 16-year-old star Lamine Yamal ahead of the match in Paris
Players from both clubs involved in the match said they would not offer post-match interviews to the broadcaster Burgos worked for
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Presenter Ricardo Sierra also commented on the incident, adding: ‘I understand that many spectators expected us to have a conversation or interview with Barca.
“But PSG and Barcelona informed us that they would not come to us because they were extremely angry about a comment made on our set.”
Players and staff from both teams fulfilled their post-match media obligations with other broadcasters covering the exciting Champions League quarter-final.
Burgos, 54, previously worked under current Atletico boss Diego Simeone before leaving four years ago with ambitions to become a head coach elsewhere.
An unsuccessful spell with famed Argentine side Newell’s Old Boys followed before later moving to the Greek Super League.
Yamal has been the breakout story for Barcelona this season, with the 16-year-old leading La Masia’s youth academy by cementing a place as a regular in the club’s first team.
Meanwhile, Yamal has been the breakout story at Barcelona this season, with the 16-year-old leading La Masia’s youth academy by establishing himself as a regular in the club’s first team.
The teenager featured in Paris on Wednesday as Barcelona took advantage of PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s mistakes to claim a valuable 3-2 win in the first leg.