Pundit in Spain sacked after remark about Yamal
A Spanish TV station has sacked a pundit after he made a controversial remark about Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal before their Champions League fixture against Paris St-Germain.
German Burgos, working for Movistar, was speaking over footage of Yamal doing kick-ups when he made the remark.
Burgos is reported to have said: “If it doesn’t go well for him, he could end up at a traffic light.”
Barcelona and PSG refused to give interviews to Movistar after the game.
“Movistar Plus+ condemns any kind of discrimination and will not allow this type of comment from any of the employees or collaborators linked to the platform,” the broadcaster said on Thursday.
The remark, which has been interpreted as a reference to people who perform at traffic lights and ask drivers for money, came before Barcelona’s quarter-final first-leg win against PSG on Wednesday.
Burgos has apologised for the comment.
“It was a comment made without meaning to hurt anyone. We talk about football, nothing else. If he felt offended, I am sorry and I apologise publicly,” he said.
Burgos, 54, earned 35 caps for Argentina during his playing career and spent six years in Spain with Mallorca and Atletico Madrid.
Yamal, 16, was born in Spain to Moroccan and Equatorial Guinean parents.
The winger, who already has six caps for Spain, became the youngest player to appear in a Champions League quarter-final during the victory in Paris.
