Barcelona midfielder Rodri issued a public apology to Valencia Club de Fútbol for comments made during Sunday's match at Mestalla. The player acknowledged his mistake after a conversation captured by Movistar Plus cameras and shared on social media.
Rodri addressed the media in the mixed zone after Barcelona's Champions League match against Feyenoord. "I would like to say a few words before starting. When one makes a mistake, one must come out to apologise," declared the Spanish international. The footballer had already privately contacted Valencia captain José Gayà beforehand to apologise personally.
The comments occurred during the league match between both teams at Mestalla stadium. Television cameras captured Rodri speaking with his bench teammate, Cubarsí, at one point in the game. The broadcaster Movistar Plus, which owned the footage, later decided to remove the video from its platforms.
The Barcelona player insisted his words were not intended to offend. "It was an expression of surprise, I never wanted to mock or take any team's difficult moment out of context," explained Rodri. The midfielder emphasised it was a private conversation between teammates that was misinterpreted when made public.
The incident comes at a difficult time for the Valencian team. The club currently sits bottom of the La Liga standings, with just one point from the first four matchdays. Their record shows zero wins, one draw and three defeats, with a run of form showing four consecutive losses.
The defensive situation is particularly concerning, with nine goals conceded and only one scored, resulting in a -8 goal difference. This places them eleven points behind the leader, precisely Rodri's Barcelona. The team has several important players on the injuries list, including S. Canos, J. Copete, J. De Haas, D. Foulquier, D. Lopez and L. Rioja.
The team must now focus on their next league commitment. This Thursday, September 11th, they visit sixth-placed Sevilla in a match that could mark a turning point in their season. The complete squad is available on our squad page.
Rodri closed his statements with a message of support for the club. He expressed his hope that Valencia would soon return to being one of La Liga's best teams. He also suggested everyone should learn to take things less dramatically and avoid taking them out of context. The match against Sevilla will be played at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium.
