A former FC Barcelona star has now admitted to lying about Real Madrid in order to play for the Blaugrana.
Speaking to ex-Manchester United veteran Rio Ferdinand on the Vibe With Five podcast recently, former Barca midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng revealed he was an avid Los Blancos fan but had to hide his love for the club while playing for their bitter rivals.
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The now-retired 36-year-old joined the Catalan giants on a short loan deal from Sassuolo in 2019, and made only four appearances during his time at the Camp Nou.
He detailed to Ferdinand how, during the unveiling process, he was told he could never admit his fondness for the Madrid club or he would not be played.
"I supported Hertha Berlin where I grew up and then, sorry Blaugrana… Barcelona fans are going to hate me now, but Real Madrid," he told said on the podcast, per FourFourTwo.
"I couldn't say that in the press conference [when he signed for Barcelona]. They told me I could never say that. Because 'otherwise we can't play you'."
Boateng then added that he had actually publicly declared his support for Los Blancos a while before he joined the Catalan club.
"Two years before, when I was at Las Palmas, they asked me in a press conference who was the best player in the world and I said 'in this world Ronaldo, in the galaxy Messi', and then they asked me my favourite club and I said 'Real Madrid'.
"The first question [at his Barca unveiling] was who is your favourite club, I said 'Barcelona'," he laughed, adding that it was the "biggest lie" he had ever told.
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"I think anyone would have done the same, I wanted to pull on that shirt one time at Camp Nou."
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