Barcelona midfielder Rodri has apologised to Valencia’s players after a private conversation during his side’s emphatic La Liga victory was interpreted as criticism of the struggling club.
Television cameras focused on Rodri while he was sitting alongside Pau Cubarsi and Raphinha on the Barcelona bench during Sunday’s 5-0 win at Mestalla. The 30-year-old had already been substituted when the exchange took place.
Although the footage did not contain audible dialogue, Spanish broadcaster Movistar said its lip-reading analysis indicated Rodri had commented on Valencia’s lack of threat and suggested they were struggling to progress beyond the halfway line.
The incident quickly attracted attention in Spain, with some supporters and media outlets arguing that the midfielder’s apparent remarks showed a lack of respect towards a team experiencing a difficult start to the season.
Barcelona’s victory intensified Valencia’s problems, leaving them at the bottom of La Liga without a win from their opening four matches.
Rodri addressed the controversy after Barcelona returned to action on Wednesday, when they defeated Feyenoord 5-1 in the Champions League. He confirmed that he had contacted Valencia captain and Spain team-mate Jose Gaya to apologise, while also extending that apology to the rest of the squad.
The former Manchester City midfielder explained that his reaction had been prompted by surprise at how the match was unfolding rather than an attempt to ridicule Valencia. He stressed that he respects the club and hopes to see it recover from its difficult position in the standings.
Rodri also pointed out that the exchange had been part of a private conversation between team-mates and argued that brief moments captured on camera can easily lose their intended context when circulated publicly.
The controversy comes only months after Rodri played a central role in Spain’s successful 2026 World Cup campaign, where he was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s outstanding player.
For Valencia, attention now turns back to reversing their poor opening to the domestic season, while Rodri will hope his apology draws a line under an episode that generated unexpected scrutiny following Barcelona’s dominant win at Mestalla.