Last week, Barcelona shared a video on X, with the caption ‘Welcome to Ciutat Esportiva, Jérôme Boateng‘. It showed Boateng greeting his former teammate Robert Lewandowski during a club training session.
Jérôme Boateng abandons internship at Bayern after fierce fan protests: ‘No place for villains’
Boateng was given a suspended fine of 200,000 euros and a warning by a court in Munich last year after being found guilty of deliberately assaulting his ex-partner. The 37-year-old denies injuring her during an argument on holiday in 2018 and already appealed against a previous conviction in 2021. Last year’s trial was the third in the case against him.
Embarrassing and ironic
The video was published two days before Barcelona’s first match in more than two years at the new-look Camp Nou. Before that match, the club announced a minute’s silence ‘in memory of all women killed by male violence, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women’.
The combination of the video and the announcement sparked criticism on social media. Supporters called the club’s actions ’embarrassing’ and ‘ironic’.
Barcelona’s response
In a statement, the club said: “Jérôme Boateng has no contractual relationship or active role within the club. His presence was only a one-off educational visit as part of the process towards his coaching license. It was not an institutional invitation or involvement in sporting or representative activities.”
Jerome Boateng at the Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper training complex. © ANP/HH
Barcelona further stressed: “The club remains fully committed to combating gender-based violence. We understand the sensitivity surrounding this issue and regret any perception of inconsistency. Our moments of tribute to women killed by male violence are essential and non-negotiable for us. Nothing that happened was intended to undermine that message.”
Boateng’s trainer plans
Last month, Boateng, a member of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad, was forced to cancel a coaching stint at Bayern Munich due to protests and negative reactions from fans.
Boateng ended his playing career in September and is focusing on a future as a coach. He obtained his UEFA B trainer’s license in November 2024. In 2021, another of Boateng’s ex-partners committed suicide. According to German media, he had recently ended their relationship.