{
  "id": 6562912,
  "title": "La Liga: Rodri apologises after criticism over Valencia remark",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/la-liga-rodri-apologises-after-criticism-over-valencia-remark",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-10T08:51:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/la-liga-rodri-apologises-after-criticism-over-valencia-remark/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "Barcelona midfielder Rodri issues an apology to Valencia after being accused of calling them ‘very weak’ during a private conversation on the bench. Read More: https://punchng.com/la-liga-rodri-apologises-after-criticism-over-valencia-remark/",
  "key_points": [
    "Barcelona midfielder Rodri apologizes to Valencia captain Jose Gaya and squad for weak comment.",
    "Rodri's remarks about Valencia being weak during bench substitution sparked criticism.",
    "Apology clarifies comments were expression of surprise, not intended to disrespect Valencia."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Rodri's apology signals an effort to repair relations with Valencia, suggesting he values the club's respect and aims to mitigate damage to his reputation among fans and media.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport Football",
        "title": "Barca's Rodri apologises over Valencia 'weak' comments",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/barcas-rodri-apologises-over-valencia-weak-comments",
        "published": "2026-09-10T07:27:34.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "La Liga: Rodri apologises after criticism over Valencia remark",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/la-liga-rodri-apologises-after-criticism-over-valencia-remark-6563372",
        "published": "2026-09-10T08:54:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "Barca’s Rodri apologises over Valencia ‘weak’ comments",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/barcas-rodri-apologises-over-valencia-weak-comments",
        "published": "2026-09-11T00:13:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "Barca’s Rodri apologises over Valencia ‘weak’ comments",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/barcas-rodri-apologises-over-valencia-weak-comments-6722599",
        "published": "2026-09-11T06:43:43.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}