Rodri Confirms Apology to Valencia Squad

Barcelona midfielder Rodri has issued an apology to the entire Valencia squad after being caught on camera describing the opposing team as "very weak."

The Spaniard made the comments about his opponents from the substitutes' bench during Barcelona's dominant 5-0 away victory at Mestalla. The result left Valencia rooted to the bottom of the league table, winless in their opening four matches. Although the footage lacked audio, Spanish streaming platform Movistar, which broadcast the match, claimed that Rodri's lips could be read saying: "They are very weak. They can't even get past the halfway line." Following the game, Spanish media criticized this summer's World Cup Golden Ball winner for disrespectful behavior.

"I apologized to my friend and colleague Jose Gaya (Valencia's captain) and to the entire squad. I also want to make it clear that this was simply an expression of my surprise – anyone who watches the video can see that. At no point did I intend to mock anyone or take their team's difficult moment out of context. Quite the opposite – we all want Valencia to return to where they belong in the league; they are one of the best teams in the country. I just wanted to say that. I want to add that this was a private conversation. I think we all need to learn a little from this, as things sometimes get taken out of context. At no point did I intend to be disrespectful. I apologize to Valencia," Rodri stated after Barcelona's 5-1 Champions League victory against Feyenoord.