Spain midfielder Rodri launched a bitter post-match attack on Scotland’s ‘timewasting’ approach during their memorable 2-0 win at Hampden Park on Tuesday night.
The Manchester City star was left in the shade by United rival Scott McTominay, whose two goals sealed an epic win for Steve Clarke’s men in Euro 2024 qualifying Group A.
Rodri, however, wasn’t prepared to praise Scotland’s display as he took aim at what he claimed were the underhand tactics deployed.
‘It’s the way they play, you have to respect, but for me it’s a bit rubbish,’ he told Viaplay. ‘Always wasting time, provoking you, always they fall.
‘For me, this is not football. For the speed of the sport, you have to move on. The referee has to take on this, but he says nothing.
‘It’s a bit frustrating because we want to win. It’s difficult if it’s waste time, waste time. But they have their weapons. We have to use our weapons and we will learn for the next time.’
Asked about Scotland fans viewing some of Spain’s gamesmanship in a similar way, Rodri replied: ‘We want to go for duels, for battles – we always fight, but this is not about fighting. It’s about wasting time – four, five players on the floor, but this depends on the referee, not on us.’
McTominay struck in each half, with Spain unable to find a way beyond Angus Gunn as they were left three points behind their hosts in the race to reach Germany next summer.
‘Always when we lose we are disappointed, but we did many good things to win,’ he said on Viaplay. ‘In the end we were not sufficient to score goals.
‘We conceded easy goals – this is football, if you concede easy goals you are penalised at the end.’
Credit: dailymail.co.uk
