Barcelona midfielder Rodri has publicly apologised after footage emerged of him criticising Valencia during his side’s 5-0 La Liga victory last weekend.
Rodri says sorry to Valencia after footage emerges following Barcelona win
The 30-year-old, who joined Barcelona from Manchester City in a £65m summer move, starred as the Catalan giants began their Champions League campaign with a 5-1 win over Feyenoord at Camp Nou on Wednesday evening.
Raphinha scored twice, while Karim Adeyemi, Lamine Yamal and Gabriel Jesus also found the net.
Hansi Flick’s team have now scored five goals in two consecutive matches, following their 5-0 win at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium.
However, a video recorded by Movistar overshadowed the build-up to the Feyenoord match.
The clip showed Rodri telling Pau Cubarsi that Valencia looked weak and terrible, and he claimed they had not crossed the halfway line in the second half. The footage sparked widespread controversy.
⚽️🦇 Rodri es disculpa per les paraules a Mestalla
🗣️ “Li vaig demanar disculpes a Gayà, en nom de la plantilla”
🗣️ “Va ser una expressió de sorpresa”
🗣️ “Desitge que el @valenciacf torne al lloc que es mereix”🔛 @apuntnoticies📺: https://t.co/AySGBr6cqU pic.twitter.com/DZbu2Asnq8
— À Punt Esports (@apuntesports) September 9, 2026
After the Feyenoord win, Rodri chose to address the incident before speaking about the match. He said he wanted to apologise to anyone who felt insulted, including players, fans and others.
He confirmed he had contacted his friend and colleague José Gayà and apologised to him and the entire Valencia squad.
Rodri explained that he made the comment out of surprise and never intended to mock Valencia or exploit a difficult moment. He added that people had taken his words out of context.
Rodri also wished Valencia a return to the position they deserve, describing them as one of the strongest clubs in Spain. He repeated his apology and said everyone should learn from the situation.
Turning to football, Rodri said the Champions League is Barcelona’s next step.
He stressed that the team wants to lift the trophy again but must take one step at a time. He warned that expecting five goals every game is unrealistic.
Barcelona next face Levante on Sunday, September 13, at the Estadi Ciutat de València, aiming for a fifth straight La Liga win.
