Barcelona ace Rodri apologises to Valencia after controversial comments at Mestalla: ‘Hope they return to where they belong’

Barcelona ace Rodri apologises to Valencia after controversial comments at Mestalla: ‘Hope they return to where they belong’ Barcelona midfielder Rodri has apologised to Valencia after his comments from the Mestalla bench were caught on camera during Barça’s 5-0 victory last weekend. Rodri was substituted in the 62nd minute with Barcelona already three goals ahead, but the midfielder remained involved in the action from the bench.  Sitting beside Pau Cubarsi, he discussed Valencia’s performance with his teammate while watching the remainder of the match. His comments were picked up by the cameras, with Rodri speaking openly without covering his mouth.  After Barcelona’s 5-1 Champions League victory over Feyenoord, Rodri specifically asked to address the incident and offered an apology to those who felt offended. “I want to apologise to everyone who may have felt offended by my words, both players and fans. Rodri made some controversial comments during Valencia win. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) “I’ve already spoken with my friend Gaya to apologise. It was a reaction of surprise; I hope Valencia can return to where it belongs,” he said, as per Mundo Deportivo . What Rodri said on the Valencia bench The incident occurred during Rodri’s first La Liga start for Barcelona since returning to Spain.  With the midfielder substituted after 62 minutes, he took a place on the Mestalla bench alongside Cubarsi. As Barcelona continued to dominate, Rodri reacted to what he was seeing and questioned Valencia’s level of performance. “They’re really weak—these guys are really weak… Really weak. They’re really bad, man. They’re terrible. “How did they finish last season? They didn’t even make it past midfield in the second half…,” Rodri told Cubarsi at different points . Rodri has publicly apologised to Valencia. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) The remarks were made privately to a teammate but were captured clearly by the television cameras, turning an off-the-cuff reaction into a public talking point. Rodri’s apology now appears to be an attempt to draw a line under the episode, particularly after he acknowledged the potential impact his words could have had on Valencia players and supporters. Being the bigger man Rodri’s decision to apologise was the sensible response once his private comments became public.  Footballers regularly react emotionally during matches, but television cameras can turn conversations intended only for teammates into public statements. The midfielder did not attempt to deny what he said. Instead, he acknowledged that his words could have caused offence and apologised to Valencia players and supporters.