Barca's Rodri apologises over Valencia 'weak' comments

Barcelona midfielder Rodri has issued an apology to Valencia captain Jose Gaya and the entire squad following criticism over his remarks about Valencia being "very weak". The 30-year-old reportedly made the comment to Barcelona teammates Pau Cubarsi and Raphinha during a bench substitution in Barcelona's 5-0 league win against Valencia on Sunday.

Although the footage has no audio, broadcaster Movistar claimed to have lip-read Rodri saying "They're really weak. They haven't got past the halfway line." The comments led to criticism from Valencia fans and some sections of the Spanish media accusing Rodri of disrespecting the struggling club. However, Rodri clarified that his words were an expression of surprise and not intended to mock Valencia.

He apologized to Gaya and the Valencia squad, stating that it was simply an expression of surprise and that he does not intend to disrespect anyone or take a difficult moment for the team out of context. Rodri also praised Valencia, expressing his desire to see the club return to a stronger position in the league. He emphasized that the comments were made during a private conversation and that things can sometimes be taken out of context.