Barcelona midfielder Rodri has publicly apologized to the entire Valencia squad following controversial remarks he allegedly made about the struggling La Liga team. The incident occurred during Barcelona's commanding 5-0 victory over Valencia on Sunday at Mestella Stadium, where Rodri was caught on camera expressing that Valencia was "very weak."

While sitting on the bench after being substituted, Rodri reportedly made the comment to his teammates Pau Cubarsi and Raphinha. Although the footage lacked audio, broadcaster Movistar claimed they interpreted Rodri's lips as saying:

They're really weak. They haven't got past the halfway line.

The comments sparked outrage among fans and sections of the Spanish media, leading to accusations of disrespect towards Valencia, who currently sit at the bottom of the table without a win in their first four matches.

In response, Rodri expressed remorse after Barcelona's 5-1 win against Feyenoord in the Champions League on Wednesday. He stated, "I apologised to my friend and colleague Jose Gaya, Valencia's captain, and to the entire squad as well."

He clarified that his remarks were merely an expression of surprise and emphasized that he did not intend to mock Valencia during their difficult moment. Rodri added, "We all want Valencia to return to where it belongs in the league; it is one of the best clubs in the competition."

He urged for more understanding regarding private conversations, noting how easily comments can be misinterpreted:

At no point did I mean any disrespect. My apologies to Valencia.