14.12.2009 17:34
Rafa Márquez x 2: namesakes, friends and rivals
Sandra Sarmiento / Roger Bogunyà
Barça v Atlante or Rafa Márquez v Rafa Márquez. This Wednesday two players who share the same name and who have both played for Mexico go head to head.
If you don’t pay close attention to this Wednesday’s semi-final you may get a shock or
even celebrate a goal for the other side! That’s what could happen when Rafael Márquez
(Barça) takes on Rafael Márquez (Atlante).
Team-mates not rivals
Both are Mexican, Barça’s Rafa is 30 and plays in defence. Atlante’s
Rafa is 28 and is a forward. So depending on the managers they could well meet on the pitch. But
the very best of this coincidence is that they know each other and have even shared a dressing room
with the Mexican squad.
Speaking at the second to last training session before the semi-final, Márquez (Atlante) told
Barça TV and www.fcbarcelona.cat: “I get on well with him and we’ve played together but
never as rivals”.
Praise for the ‘Kaiser’
“He’s the best player in Mexico. He’s played for Barça longer than any of
the current foreigners. I’ve been there twice and I saw that people love him”. As
coincidence would have it, the girlfriend of the Atlante Rafa studies in Barcelona.
Not in México
The two players have never coincided in Mexico. The Atlante Rafa told us: “When I
arrived (at Pumas, his first team in 2000) he was already playing for Monaco. It’ll be nice
to play him”.