The Spanish midfielder was caught on camera talking to Pau Cubarsí on the Barcelona bench and expressing his surprise at the level of the Valencia side. The footage quickly went viral and ultimately caused frustration around Valencia.
Rodri Apologizes to Valencia
Rodri Hernández decided to face the controversy sparked by his comments during Barcelona’s 5-0 rout of Valencia at Mestalla.
Aware that his words had crossed a line, Rodri decided to act. He first reached out directly to José Luis Gayà, the Valencia captain, and later issued a public apology following Barcelona’s victory over Feyenoord in the Champions League.
The Rodri Comment That Sparked the Controversy
It all began during Sunday’s match at Mestalla.
Barcelona was producing an almost flawless performance and comfortably dominating Valencia when Hansi Flick decided to take Rodri off shortly after the hour mark.
Once on the bench, cameras from El Día Después captured the midfielder speaking with Cubarsí. During the conversation, the world champion described the Valencia side as “very weak” and “very bad,” while also asking where the club had finished in the standings the previous season.
It was neither an interview nor a statement made in front of the media. It was a conversation between teammates that happened to be caught on television. However, once the footage began circulating, the private nature of the exchange mattered little to a large section of the Valencia fan base.
The result did not help either.
Barcelona eventually secured a 5-0 victory at Mestalla, completing a particularly difficult afternoon for a Valencia side enduring a tough start to the season under Carlos Corberán.
Rodri Called José Luis Gayà Directly
The midfielder did not take long to respond.
According to À Punt, with the information later reported by several Spanish outlets, Rodri personally contacted José Luis Gayà to explain what had happened and extend his apologies to the rest of the Valencia dressing room.
The midfielder understood that his comments could be interpreted as disrespectful toward fellow professionals and wanted to address the situation directly with the Valencia captain before speaking publicly.
Cadena SER also reported that the conversation between the two players took place and that the apology was intended not only for Gayà, but for the entire Valencia squad.
Rodri Faces the Media After the Champions League
But the private phone call was not enough for the Barcelona midfielder.
Following the 5-1 victory over Feyenoord in Barcelona’s Champions League opener, Rodri appeared before the media to publicly address what had happened.
Without taking questions, the midfielder acknowledged that his comments may have offended Valencia players and supporters and reiterated that he had already spoken personally with Gayà.
His explanation was straightforward: he had not intended to mock the opposition or make light of the difficult sporting situation the Valencia side was experiencing. According to Rodri, his reaction came from surprise during a private conversation and ultimately took on a significance he had never intended.
The Spaniard also made clear his respect for Valencia, one of LaLiga’s historic clubs, and expressed his desire to see the team return to competing at the level it has traditionally occupied.
Corberán Has Not Forgotten the Comments
The apology, however, did not completely end the controversy.
On Thursday, Carlos Corberán was asked about the episode and acknowledged that Rodri’s comments were unfortunate. The Valencia coach felt that such remarks did not come from the level of respect that should exist between fellow professionals, although he refused to use them as motivation for his players.
For Rodri, the episode offers an early lesson just weeks into his new chapter with Barcelona.
A conversation on the bench turned into a national controversy.
This time, the midfielder did not try to hide behind the context: he called Gayà, apologized to the dressing room, and then decided to do the same in front of the cameras.
The comment had already been made. The only thing Rodri could control was what came next.
