Lamine Yamal: Barcelona, PSG Stage Media Boycott After Pundit Made Racist Slur at Wonderkid

• Barcelona and PSG registered their angst with a media blackout
• Their action stemmed from a racial slur aimed at Lamine Yamal
• Yamal suffered an insensitive comment from ex-Atletico coach

FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain jointly decided to implement a media boycott during their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash in Paris on Wednesday evening.

The boycott was in response to what both clubs perceived as a racially insensitive comment made on-air by former Atletico Madrid assistant coach, German Burgos.

Burgos aimed a reckless racial slur towards youngster Lamine Yamal during the pre-match warm-up session.

Following the unsympathetic statement, Barca and PSG opted not to participate in any post-match interviews with Spanish broadcaster Movistar, which aired the comment in question.

What did German Burgos say about Lamine?

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The camera focused on Lamine, who was skillfully juggling the ball during the warm-up session ahead of the quarter-final clash.

One pundit admired the 16-year-old's skills, commenting, "Look at the quality, look at the touches."

However, Burgos interjected with a derogatory remark, implying that if the Barcelona prodigy's football career didn't pan out, he would be relegated to a menial job like working at a traffic light.

"If football doesn't work out, he'll end up at a traffic light," the 54-year-old said as cited by Tribuna

Burgos apologises for careless racial slur

Burgos later apologized on the airwaves for his racially insensitive comment about the Barcelona winger, who has arguably been one of La Blaugrana's standout players this season.

"It was a comment without trying to hurt anyone," Burgos said as quoted by Metro.

"If anyone felt offended, I apologise publicly. In these times, we have to adapt to everything, and that’s what we are in."

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What happened during the game?

While Yamal was unable to impact the game as expected, the Catalan giants managed to secure a vital first-leg advantage by clawing back from 2-1 down to pick a 3-2 win.

A brace from Raphinha and a late header from Andreas Christensen sealed victory for Xavi Hernandez's men, with Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha getting the consolation strikes for PSG.

Yamal 'copies' Messi's diet

Earlier, Sports Brief highlighted Yamal's efforts to enhance his longevity in the game, which involved embracing a diet reminiscent of Lionel Messi.

Since his debut for Barcelona in April 2023, the La Masia academy graduate's physical condition has undergone significant transformation.

Much of this improvement can be attributed to the dietary regimen he has embraced, which has supported his physical development during his formative years.