FC Barcelona Refuses Interviews With Spanish Broadcaster For ...

FC Barcelona refused post-match interviews with local broadcaster Movistar after its win over Paris ... [+] Saint-Germain on Wednesday, in light of a racist remark made by one of its punditry team in ex-Atletico Madrid and Argentina player

FC Barcelona refused to give post-match interviews to Spanish broadcasting giant Movistar after its 3-2 win over Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday in light of a racist remark regarding Lamine Yamal made by one of its punditry team in ex-Atletico Madrid player German Burgos.

The incident occurred during coverage leading up to kick off. In a segment that has been shared on social media, Lamine was shown doing kick ups - i.e. balancing the ball in the air without it hitting the ground - during his team's warm up for a Champions League quarterfinal first leg in the Parc des Princes.

"Look at the quality, look at Lamine Yamal's kick ups" says one of the Movistar team, as the 16-year-old walks and hits the ball with various parts of his body including his shoulder.

Burgos then said, "If it doesn't go well, he'll end up at a traffic light".

"Football is like life," the former Argentina national team goalkeeper added, as his colleagues laughed.

The comment has been deemed racist given its insinuation that Lamine, the son of immigrants of Moroccan and Equatoguinean descent, would perhaps be selling items at traffic lights, begging, or doing work such as washing cars there had his career not panned out.

As a reaction to it, both Barca and PSG refused to release its players or staff for post-match interviews with the Spanish broadcaster.

"I understand that many viewers expected us to have some conversation or interview with Barca [players or coaches]. But PSG and Barca have notified us that they are not going to attend to us because they were tremendously angry with a comment that has been made on our set," explained the channel's presenter Ricardo Sierra.

"Therefore, they are not going to do any interviews with us, we have not been lucky. I apologize from here. We have to do it from the set as well."

Burgos then said it was a comment that he didn't mean "to hurt anyone".

"It's one thing talking about football. But if anyone was offended, I apologise publicly.

"I didn't mean to [offend anyone]. In these times you have to adapt to everything when you try to be humorous," Burgos explained, amid receiving calls to never be allowed to appear on television again.