Petit's comments were echoed by some critics, who claimed that Rodri's presence slows down the team's transitions and that he is not commanding the midfield effectively.
However, De la Fuente disagrees and believes Rodri is still the best player in the world, even at a lower level of performance.
"Rodri is a highly skilled player with exceptional importance to our team," De la Fuente said.
"He has fantastic clarity and vision, balance, and is a guiding light for us."
Rodri is in the final year of his contract with Manchester City, which may be on his mind as he plays for Spain in the World Cup.
Spain's next match is against Saudi Arabia on Sunday, after drawing with Uruguay in their opening game.
