Barcelona are tearing through LaLiga under Hansi Flick and at the weekend they smashed Valencia 5-0 at Mestalla. New signing Rodri, who arrived from Manchester City before the season, could not resist a little dig during the match.
Substituted in the 62nd minute alongside team-mate Pau Cubarsi with the Catalans 3-0 up, the Spain international immediately started chatting to the defender on the bench. Cameras picked up the private conversation and the programme 'El Dia Despues' later made it public.
"These guys are really lazy, properly lazy. Really bad," Rodri mocked about Flick’s opponents, and he also seemed surprised by how easy his side were finding it against Valencia.
As the conversation went on, Rodri asked his team-mates to explain how the club had got on last season, given Valencia are currently bottom of the table after three matchdays.
Rodri on Valencia: "They are awful!"
He apparently could not square the club’s current level with their reputation as one of Spain’s biggest sides. "They are awful, they are awful. What place did Valencia finish in last year?" he asked.
Nor did Rodri stop at their general performance. He also pointed to tactical mistakes and a lack of ambition after the break. "They didn’t even cross the halfway line in the second half," he said.