Rodri Addresses Controversy Over Valencia Remarks After Barcelona's Win

Rodri has moved to defuse a brewing storm in Spain after being filmed apparently calling Valencia “very weak” during Barcelona’s 5-0 win at Mestalla.

The Barcelona midfielder was caught on television cameras on Sunday speaking to team-mates Pau Cubarsi and Raphinha on the bench after being substituted in the second half of the La Liga rout. Broadcaster Movistar later claimed to have lip-read the 30-year-old saying: “They’re really weak. They haven’t got past the halfway line.”

The clip spread quickly, landing badly with Valencia fans and sections of the Spanish media, who accused the Spain star of disrespecting a club already on its knees. The heavy home defeat left Valencia bottom of the table, winless after their first four league games and staring at another season of struggle.

By Wednesday night, after Barcelona’s 5-1 Champions League victory over Feyenoord, Rodri knew he had to address it.

“I apologised to my friend and colleague Jose Gaya and to the entire squad as well,” he said, name-checking the Spain defender and Valencia captain. He stressed that the remark, as he sees it, has been misunderstood.

“I also want to make it clear that it was simply an expression of surprise – anyone watching the video can see that,” Rodri explained. “At no point did I intend to mock anyone or take a difficult moment for a team out of context.”

He pushed back against the idea that he was belittling a historic rival, instead trying to position himself on their side.

“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 incident has also reopened a familiar debate in Spanish football: how private anything really is once a player sits down on a bench with a camera trained on him.

“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,” Rodri said. “But at no point did I mean any disrespect. My apologies to Valencia.”

Barcelona march on in Europe. Valencia fight for air at the foot of La Liga. And Rodri, golden ball winner at the 2026 World Cup and one of Spain’s most prominent voices, has been reminded that in this era, even a muttered aside on the touchline can turn into a national talking point.