{"id":2403,"date":"2026-09-10T18:05:37","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T18:05:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sportbulletin.top\/?p=2403"},"modified":"2026-09-10T18:05:37","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T18:05:37","slug":"valencia-manager-hits-back-at-barcelonas-rodri-over-controversial-comments-completely-unfortunate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportbulletin.top\/?p=2403","title":{"rendered":"Valencia manager hits back at Barcelona\u2019s Rodri over controversial comments: \u2018Completely unfortunate\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Valencia manager Carlos Corberan has responded to comments made by FC Barcelona<\/a> midfielder Rodri<\/a> during their La Liga<\/a> meeting at Mestalla this past weekend.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cameras captured the Barcelona summer arrival speaking on the bench after being substituted to a standing ovation. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Rodri was heard describing Valencia\u2019s performance with comments including<\/a> \u201chow bad they are\u201d<\/strong> and \u201cthey\u2019re very poor\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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After the clip went viral, Rodri has issued an apology directly to Valencia captain Jose Gaya and later publicly<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Corberan not impressed<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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And, Corberan has now given his take on what Rodri said, describing the midfielder\u2019s actions as \u2018completely unfortunate\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThey are completely unfortunate words. I don\u2019t think they are words that come from a place of respect towards fellow professionals,\u201d<\/strong> he said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Rodri\u2019s words did not go down well at Valencia. (Photo by David Ramos\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Valencia coach explained that Rodri had subsequently spoken to captain Gaya to apologise, and that the team had accepted it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHe spoke to Gaya to apologise. We accept his public apology and understand that it was appropriate.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Corberan also acknowledged the context in which the comments were made, but felt that did not make them appropriate, saying: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cEven if it was in the context of telling a teammate, he had received a standing ovation earlier at Mestalla.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Corberan refuses to use the controversy as motivation<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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The subject came up repeatedly during Corberan\u2019s pre-match press conference ahead of Valencia\u2019s meeting with Sevilla on Friday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The footage has generated considerable discussion in the aftermath of the heavy defeat, particularly at a time when Valencia are looking for a response.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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However, Corberan was keen to separate Rodri\u2019s comments from the reaction he expects from his own players.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Rodri has since issued an apology for what he said. (Photo by Alex Caparros\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Valencia boss admitted that his team had not performed at the level required against Barcelona, but pointed to a few incidents that could have changed the course of the match. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe didn\u2019t have a great game, but a penalty and possible red card for Rodri on Danjuma can change a match, and suddenly the players who seem so bad to you might not seem quite so bad,\u201d<\/strong> he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Despite accepting that Valencia fell well below their own standards, Corber\u00e1n insisted that he would not use Rodri\u2019s comments to motivate his squad. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe weren\u2019t at the level this squad is capable of. I\u2019m not going to look for motivation in words that I don\u2019t share.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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For the Valencia manager, the response has to come from the club\u2019s identity and its supporters rather than from an opponent\u2019s remarks. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cPride has to come from the badge and from our people. We have to show anger and desire. Unfortunate words have to be left as exactly what they are,\u201d<\/strong> he concluded.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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