Rodri Apologises After Valencia Comment
Rodri apology Barcelona midfielder Rodri has apologised to Valencia and their players after television footage appeared to show him describing the struggling La Liga side as “very weak”.
The 30-year-old reportedly made the comment to Barcelona team-mates Pau Cubarsi and Raphinha while sitting on the bench after being substituted during Sunday’s 5-0 victory over Valencia.
The result at Mestalla left Valencia at the bottom of the La Liga table after failing to win any of their opening four matches.
Although the footage contains no audio, broadcaster Movistar said its lip-readers interpreted Rodri as saying: “They’re really weak. They haven’t got past the halfway line.”
The apparent remark drew criticism from Valencia supporters and parts of the Spanish media, with some accusing the midfielder of disrespecting the club.
Rodri Says Comment Was Taken Out of Context Rodri apology
Rodri addressed the controversy after Barcelona’s 5-1 Champions League victory over Feyenoord on Wednesday.
He said he had spoken to Valencia captain and Spain team-mate Jose Gaya and apologised to the entire squad.
“I apologised to my friend and colleague Jose Gaya [Spain defender and Valencia captain] and to the entire squad as well,” Rodri said.
He insisted the comment was an expression of surprise rather than an attempt to ridicule Valencia during a difficult period.
“I also want to make it clear that it was simply an expression of surprise – anyone watching the video can see that,” he said.
“At no point did I intend to mock anyone or take a difficult moment for a team out of context.”
Rodri Praises Valencia Rodri apology
The Barcelona midfielder also made clear that he has respect for Valencia and hopes the club can recover from its difficult start to the season.
“Quite the opposite – we all want Valencia to return to where it belongs in the league, it is one of the best clubs in the competition. I simply wanted to say that,” Rodri said.
He also argued that the conversation was private and that the incident demonstrated how comments can sometimes be interpreted differently when taken outside their original context.
“I would also add that it was a private conversation; I think we should all learn a bit more from this, as things really do get taken out of context sometimes,” he added.
“But at no point did I mean any disrespect. My apologies to Valencia.”
Valencia Struggle at Start of Season Rodri apology
Valencia’s difficult opening to the campaign has left the club without a victory after four league matches.
Their latest defeat came against Barcelona, who scored five times at Mestalla in a dominant performance.
Rodri’s apology comes as attention remains focused on Valencia’s poor start and his comments during the match.
The midfielder, who previously played for Manchester City, was part of Spain’s 2026 World Cup-winning side and received the Golden Ball award for his performances during the tournament.