Rodri’s Valencia comments have followed him all the way to his first Champions League night as a Barça player — and he has moved himself to shut the story down. The midfielder has contacted Valencia captain José Luis Gayà to apologise and explain the remarks picked up by television cameras during Sunday’s 5-0 win at Mestalla, per Mundo Deportivo.
The Blaugrana face Feyenoord at the Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday evening, and Rodri arrives at it having spent 48 hours as the most talked-about man in Spanish football for something he said sitting on a bench.
What Rodri’s Valencia comments actually were
Rodri was withdrawn on 62 minutes at Mestalla with Barça 3-0 up, replaced by Marc Bernal. He sat down next to Pau Cubarsí, substituted at the same moment, and started talking about the game he had just left.
“They’re really weak, these lot… They’re really bad, man. They’re terrible,” he said at various points, not in one continuous burst. “How did they finish last season? They didn’t even get past the halfway line in the second half.”
His hand was nowhere near his mouth. The cameras of El Día Después, Movistar Plus’s Monday football programme, had the lot, and Mundo Deportivo were among the first to report the exchange. Whether it read as disrespect or as unfiltered honesty in a conversation he believed was private split opinion immediately.
The call to Gayà
Mundo Deportivo report that Rodri was affected by the public response, regretted that a private conversation had been broadcast, and at no point wanted to offend Valencia’s players. So he phoned.
According to Valencian public broadcaster À Punt, cited by Mundo Deportivo, Rodri contacted Gayà directly to apologise and explain, and asked the Valencia captain to pass it on to the rest of the dressing room before it hardened into a feud. The two have played together for Spain several times, and Barca Universal report that the calls extended to other members of the Valencia squad.
Mundo Deportivo also note the context: Rodri is Spain’s captain, which raises the bar rather than lowering it. COPE suggest he may address it publicly after the Feyenoord match to make clear the words carried no malice. Nothing has been confirmed by the club.
Henry: ‘Barça have got another Busquets’
The irony is that the same 90 minutes drew the loudest praise Rodri has had since his transfer was made official. Thierry Henry, now a CBS Sports pundit, was asked by Jamie Carragher whether Rodri is better than Sergio Busquets — now Barça Atlètic’s coach — and refused to take the bait, then delivered the compliment anyway.
“I don’t know whether he is better than Busquets, because that is a different argument. But I never thought I would see another Busquets. I have seen one. Barça have got another Busquets,” Henry said, as reported by Mundo Deportivo. “Busquets never won a Ballon d’Or, but neither did Xavi or Iniesta. What I am trying to say is that this guy turns you straight into a different team, if he is fit and I hope he does not get injured. They won 5-0 and they did not concede a single counter-attack. That is what he gives you, and it is why this team is going to be very dangerous.”
Henry then broke the performance down — Rodri screening the inside channel, refusing to dive in, recycling possession — and Barca Universal carried the full exchange.
A Champions League debut to reset the week
Rodri, 30, joined from Manchester City this summer and wears the No.16. He is also on the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist alongside Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, another reason the Mestalla clip travelled so far. Hansi Flick named him in the squad for Feyenoord on Wednesday morning, and both Mundo Deportivo and Barca Universal expect him to start in a 4-3-3 next to Pedri, with captain Raphinha leading the line; our predicted line-up and team news has the detail, and Rodri’s role under Flick covers how Flick plans to manage his season.
Kick-off at the Spotify Camp Nou is 18:45 CEST (17:45 BST).
Apology and hot-mic detail translated from Mundo Deportivo and Mundo Deportivo’s original report, with English-language reporting via Barca Universal; Henry’s quotes translated from Mundo Deportivo and cross-checked against Barca Universal. Original broadcasts: À Punt, Movistar Plus and CBS Sports.
