Rodri Addresses Controversy Over Valencia Comment After Barcelona Victory
Rodri has moved to defuse a brewing storm in Spain after being caught on camera apparently branding Valencia “very weak” during Barcelona’s 5-0 win at Mestalla.
The midfielder, substituted in the second half of Sunday’s rout, was filmed on the bench speaking with team-mates Pau Cubarsi and Raphinha. With no audio available, broadcaster Movistar claimed to have lip-read the 30-year-old saying: “They’re really weak. They haven’t got past the halfway line.”
The images spread quickly. So did the backlash.
With Valencia rooted to the bottom of La Liga, winless in their first four matches, fans and sections of the Spanish media accused the former Manchester City player of disrespecting a club already under severe pressure. The reaction forced Rodri to address the issue head-on.
Speaking after Barcelona’s 5-1 Champions League victory over Feyenoord on Wednesday, the Spain international revealed he had already contacted Valencia’s dressing room.
“I apologised to my friend and colleague Jose Gaya and to the entire squad as well,” he said, referencing the Spain defender and Valencia captain.
Rodri insisted the comment had been misinterpreted and stripped of its original tone.
“I also want to make it clear that it was simply an expression of surprise – anyone watching the video can see that,” he explained. “At no point did I intend to mock anyone or take a difficult moment for a team out of context.”
He then went out of his way to praise Valencia’s stature in Spanish football.
“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.”
The 2026 World Cup golden ball winner also pushed back on how a brief exchange on the bench had turned into a national talking point.
“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. But at no point did I mean any disrespect. My apologies to Valencia.”
In a season where every gesture and muttered aside is captured and dissected, Rodri has made his stance clear. The cameras will keep rolling; the question now is whether the apology draws a line under this, or whether Valencia’s struggle makes every word around them feel that little bit heavier.
