Barcelona Addresses Backlash Over Jerome Boateng’s Visit
Barcelona Clarifies Boateng’s Training-Ground Appearance Amid Public Outcry
- Barcelona says Jerome Boateng’s visit was a one-off, educational trip linked to his coaching licence, not an official club role.
- The visit sparked criticism due to Boateng’s past conviction for bodily harm against a former partner.
- The club reaffirmed its commitment to combating gender-based violence and expressed regret over any perceived inconsistency.
Barcelona has reaffirmed its commitment to fighting gender-based violence following public criticism over a recent visit by former Germany and Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng to the club’s training facility.
Last week, Barcelona shared a video on X showing Boateng at the Ciutat Esportiva, where he greeted and chatted with former teammate Robert Lewandowski. The post sparked immediate backlash due to Boateng’s past conviction for premeditated bodily harm against a former partner — a case for which he received a suspended €200,000 (£176,000) fine and a formal warning from a Munich court in 2024. Boateng has long denied the allegations, which stem from a 2018 argument, and the case saw three separate trials.
Compounding the reaction, the video was posted just two days before Barcelona’s first match at their newly renovated Nou Camp in over two years — a match that began with a minute’s silence honouring women killed by male violence as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Critics online called the situation “ironic” and “embarrassing.”
In response, the club issued a statement clarifying that Boateng’s appearance was strictly informal.
“Jerome Boateng has no contractual relationship or active role within the club,” Barcelona said. “His presence was solely a one-off, educational visit as part of his personal process toward obtaining a coaching licence. It was not an institutional invitation for any sporting or representative duties.”
The club added that it “regrets any perception of inconsistency,” stressing that its tributes to victims of male violence remain “essential and non-negotiable.”
Boateng, who retired in September after a stint with Austrian club LASK, has been working toward a coaching career since receiving his UEFA B licence in November 2024. Just last month, Bayern Munich cancelled a planned coaching internship for him after a wave of fan protests.
Another former partner of Boateng died by suicide in 2021, shortly after their relationship ended, according to reports at the time.
