Valencia coach Carlos Corberan has responded to Barcelona midfielder Rodri's comments about his team despite an apology from the Spaniard.
A debate over ethics and respect between teams has followed Barcelona's 5-0 victory over Valencia at Mestalla.
Rodri was caught on camera making disparaging remarks on the bench regarding Valencia's performance, prompting a sharp reaction from Los Che.
Corberan has shared his thoughts on the midfielder's bench dialogue, pointing it out as "inappropriate" and lacking professional respect, even though Valencia have formally accepted Rodri's subsequent apology.
Valencia Coach Carlos Corberan Hits Out at Rodri for 'Disrespectful' Comments
Carlos Corberan spoke to the media ahead of his side's La Liga meeting with Sevilla, and the topic of Rodri's utterances came up among their questions.
ip-readers interpreted Rodri as describing Valencia's performance to Pau Cubarsi as "very weak" and claiming they "haven't got past the halfway line"
Corberan criticised the remarks, saying they did not come from a position of respect towards fellow professionals.
”For me, they were completely inappropriate words, because I believe they are not words that stem from respect for colleagues in the profession.
“At the moment the incident happened, Gaya took the initiative to have a conversation with Rodri, and he later offered a public apology, which we accept and understand to be the appropriate apology.
“We accept this apology because we understand that it is the least that can be done in response to inappropriate comments or words," he said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
Rodri apologised to Valencia after facing Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League, stating that his intention was not to disparage Valencia.
The Spain international explained that his remarks were an unfiltered reaction of surprise at the flow of the match rather than an intentional insult aimed at Valencia.
He had earlier apologised to Valencia captain José Gayà in a private conversation, explaining his comments.
Barcelona Continue Strong Start After Valencia Rout
Barcelona won La Liga for a second successive season in May and have made a strong start to the new campaign.
The Spanish giants beat rivals Real Madrid to the signature of 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri this summer, and have made a strong start to the campaign.
Their dominance was especially evident against Valencia, who simply had no answer to the questions posed by the champions, as they crumbled in front of their own fans.
Rodri witnessed the game first-hand, having featured from the start until the 62nd minute, when Marc Bernal replaced him.
hey followed up that performance with another strong showing against Feyenoord in the Champions League, claiming a 5-1 win.
Hansi Flick's side have now scored an incredible 22 goals across five games this season, averaging 4.4 goals per game.
odri has appeared in four of those games, adding another dimension to Flick's midfield this term.
