Manchester City man aims barbed comments at Leeds United defender's famous international victory

Leeds United’s Liam Cooper was introduced for the final 15 minutes of what was an historic international victory at Scotland’s national stadium, as the Tartan Army defeated three-time European Championship winners Spain in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying. Scotland’s win was their first over Spain since 1984, almost forty years ago.

After the game, Rodri shared his disappointment at Scotland’s time-wasting tactics, stating that for him it was ‘not football’.

“Always when you lose, you are disappointed but I think we did many good things to win,” Rodri explained.

"We concede easy goals, this is football. If you concede easy goals then you are penalised at the end.

"It’s the way they play. At the end it’s a bit rubbish because it’s always wasting time, they provoke you and they always fall. For me, this is not football.

"The referee has to take [action] on this but says nothing. It’s frustrating because we want to win,” he added.

Steve Clarke’s men, including Whites skipper Cooper, are unlikely to care what the Man City fulcrum had to say, though, as they surged to the top of Group A with back-to-back wins over Cyprus and La Roja.

Cooper’s inclusion in March’s international camp signalled a return to fitness for the 31-year-old who has not featured for Leeds since Jesse Marsch’s final game away to Nottingham Forest at the beginning of February.

Following Max Wober’s hamstring injury whilst on international duty with Austria this month, Cooper is in line to return alongside Robin Koch at left-sided centre-back for this weekend’s Premier League clash against Arsenal.