"YUCK, she can go home": The Bachelor fans slam Sydney for gaslighting Maria 

The Bachelor fans want Sydney to "go home" for gaslighting Maria. At the pool party in episode 3, Sydney pulled Joey Graziadei aside to address his speech about a "bully" in the mansion. She reported to the leading man of the series, Joey, that Maria got into a war of words with Madina after his exit.

The clash stemmed from Madina, 31, who voiced concerns about her age last week, as she is one of the oldest women on the show. Maria, 29, remarked that age shouldn't be a matter of concern, as it won't impact Joey's decision-making. Additionally, Maria wished for Madina to "own" her age gracefully without feeling it made her any less than the others.

Sydney, 28, who overheard Maria's conversation, told Madina that Maria had been "condescending" and "belittling" the 31-year-old. Similarly, Sydney also complained to Joey that Maria "verbally attacked" her. The 28-year-old's narration of the events both times was alarming for fans.

The Bachelor viewers also picked apart Sydney's conversation word by word to highlight instances of her "manipulation" and the act of "gaslighting." A user @Izzybellerrr, wrote on X:

"Sydney’s convo right now.. the way she made herself a victim. YUCK, she can go home bye."

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What went wrong between Sydney and Maria in The Bachelor season 28?

In episode 3, Maria was under the impression that her misunderstanding with Madina about age-shaming was resolved last week. However, things did not seem to be over for Sydney. When Joey checked in with Madina about why she was upset, Madina summarised the drama was all about her age.

Without taking names, Madina said she felt "bullied" by some of the remarks made by another female suitor. Joey did not take the revelation lightly and addressed the group in anger. He said:

"I know there are things that happen in the house, and I’m the type of person to rise above it and not talk about it. But to even hear the idea of the word ‘bully’ scares me because I am trying to find my forever person."

After his exit, Madina told the room that Joey's comment was in reference to her statement about feeling 'bullied' in the mansion. In response to this, Maria asked Madina for an explanation as to how she interpreted her comment as "bullying." Maria was trying to decipher how her simple remark could have been so off-putting to Madina, and that's when Sydney chimed in:

“I also felt bullied as well.”

Sydney called Maria "catty," while Maria was still coming to terms with where all this negativity was coming from. Back at the mansion, Sydney continued to speak ill of Maria:

"She’s (Maria) intimidated by me because I’m the only one who stuck up for Madina.”

Sydney later pulled Joey aside and told him that she felt "verbally attacked." He raised the matter of concern in front of Maria, who seemed upset by the unnecessary accusation.

However, after having a one-on-one conversation with Maria, Joey seemed to lean towards Maria's side, despite being unsure of who to believe. He said:

“If I’m being honest, how Maria was talking to me felt more real than how Sydney was talking to me.”

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The Bachelor fans disapprove of Sydney's antics

Several viewers want Sydney to be sent home after the drama she inflicted on others in The Bachelor mansion. Many deem her approach as "manipulative" and "narcissistic."

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The Bachelor episode 4 will air on Monday, February 12, at 8 pm ET, on ABC.