A Spanish TV station has fired one of its commentators for saying Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal “could end up at a traffic light” ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain.
German Burgos, retired goalkeeper and former assistant coach at Atletico Madrid, made the comment about Movistar as the players warmed up ahead of the quarter-finals in Paris.
Burgos said of 16-year-old Yamal: “If [professional football] It doesn’t go well for him, he could end up at a traffic light.”
The comment was interpreted as a reference to people standing at traffic lights and asking drivers for money.
Yamal, considered one of the most exciting young players in world football, was born in Spain to Moroccan and Equatorial Guinea parents. He has played six international matches for Spain, scoring two goals.
Barcelona and PSG refused to give interviews to Movistar after the match, which Barcelona won 3-2and Movistar later said it would “immediately cease the collaboration agreement” with Burgos, 54.
“Movistar Plus+ condemns any type of discrimination and will not allow this type of comment from any of the employees or collaborators linked to the platform,” said Movistar.
Burgos apologized on social media, saying: “It was not my intention to harm Lamine Yamal, the people of FC Barcelona, the players, Uefa or the Movistar Plus+ platform where I work.
“When making my comment I chose to make a joke about quality and the most flattering virtues, in no case was it about any ethnicity or social class.
“I apologize to anyone who was offended by my comment. My intention was not to denounce Lamine Yamal, on the contrary.
“Football unites everything and everyone, which is why it is the best sport, as it does not discriminate against sex, race, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation. That’s what I believe!”
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