Why Rodri Was Forced to Issue Groveling Apology After Barcelona Rout
While Barcelona were celebrating their thumping 5–1 win over Feyenoord in the Champions League on Wednesday, new signing Rodri was busy apologizing to Valencia for calling the struggling Spanish side “weak” at the weekend.
The Catalans made light work of securing three points at the Mestalla on Sunday. Hansi Flick’s men buried five goals past Valencia, who sit bottom of the La Liga standings with just a single point through four matches.
Rodri made his first start in a Blaugrana shirt in the match, playing 62 minutes before he was taken out to rest with his team up 3–0. Cameras soon caught the Spain international speaking to teammates Pau Cubarsí and Raphinha on the bench, seemingly saying, “They’re really weak. They haven’t got past the halfway line.”
Valencia fans found the comments disrespectful, especially since Rodri’s former Spain teammate José Gayà is the club’s captain. The former Manchester City star then took the opportunity to publicly apologize for his comments after Barcelona’s Champions League triumph just a few days later.
dark. FREE NEWSLETTER. New SI FC Newsletter Global Embed. Sign Up to Get Informed With SI FC
“I apologized to my friend and colleague José Gayà and to the entire squad as well. I also want to make it clear that it was simply an expression of surprise—anyone watching the video can see that,” Rodri said.
“At no point did I intend to mock anyone or take a difficult moment for a team out of context. Quite the opposite; we all want Valencia to return to where it belongs in the league. It is one of the best clubs in the competition. I simply wanted to say that.
“I would also add that it was a private conversation; I think we should all learn a bit more from this, as things really do get taken out of context sometimes. But at no point did I mean any disrespect. My apologies to Valencia.”
Rodri Enjoying Dream Start at Barcelona
The small bit of controversy has been the only hiccup in an otherwise great start to Rodri’s time with the defending Spanish champions. The 30-year-old, who inked a four-year deal with Barcelona this summer, has made four appearances for his new club—and all have been lopsided wins.
The Catalans sit atop the La Liga standings with a perfect 12 points, already three points ahead of bitter rivals Real Madrid. Flick’s men have also scored a staggering 17 goals in those four matches despite not having a natural center forward leading the line.
Barcelona translated their exceptional form to the Champions League, where they beat down Feyenoord to kick off their league phase. Rodri logged 83 minutes in the clash, looking right at home alongside fellow World Cup winner Pedri in Flick’s midfield.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner misplaced just three of this 85 passes, created two chances and covered nearly every blade of grass on the pitch. In case there was any doubt, Rodri is helping Barcelona prove they indeed have the best midfield in Spain; now, they just need to get over the line in Europe.
Where Rodri Needs to Help Barcelona the Most
Much like the last two seasons, Barcelona will find most of their La Liga bouts rather straightforward. They are the back-to-back La Liga champions for a reason, and are simply miles above almost every other team in Spain.
The club’s real challenge comes in Europe. The Catalans are desperate to win their first Champions League title since 2014–15. They have not even made a final since that winning year, and their top priority remains finally crowning themselves in European glory.
Many of Barcelona’s problems in Europe’s premier club competition stem from their leaky defense. Flick’s men did not keep a single clean sheet in the Champions League last season and paid the price with a quarterfinal exit against Atlético Madrid.
The team picked up where they left off in its league phase opener, failing to shutout an inferior opponent despite dominating the game. It doesn’t matter much in such lopsided affairs, but it will once Barcelona face tougher opposition.
Rodri’s presence in front of Barcelona’s backline could be the key to shutting out opponents and finally getting to a Champions League final. Spain conceded just one goal the entirety of the World Cup and Flick will be desperate to get similar results out of his new signing and Cubarsí at the back.
feed. READ THE LATEST BARCELONA NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC