BY DAVE MARTINEZ
Saturday night's match between the New York Red Bulls and the San Jose Earthquakes was a chippy affair, with plenty of questionable plays. None more questionable than Rafa Marquez's football tackle of Shea Salinas.
With the Red Bulls defending a corner kick situation, Marquez wrapped his arms around Salinas in the box, refusing to let go of his marker. Salinas began to tumble under Rafa's weight, and Marquez followed through, driving the speedy winger into the ground. As he rolled off the leveled body of Salinas, Rafa catches him with a kick to the arm that appears to have been delivered with intent.
No call was made on the play. To make matters worse, Salinas would be taken off the pitch with a fractured left clavicle from the infraction.
Many have speculated whether or not Marquez delivered the blow with intent. How will the MLS Disciplinary Committee respond? Do you think he deserves to be suspended?
Share your thoughts below.
That’s brilliant.
To quote Lil’ Jon: What?
Bloody Hell!!! You gave this guy a Work Visa and not me?
This. As a Quakes supporter, I’m livid.
It was dumb, uncalled for, etc. The tackle was stupid but not malicious, and I think the fall is what broke Salinas’s collarbone. It should be a suspension for Marquez for the kick at the end, no question there, But I disagree that this was “most questionable” of the chippy plays. How about Chavez’s from-behind, two-footed, scissoring lunge of a tackle on Roy Miller, who also was forced to leave the game injured? That tackle had RED written all over it.
great call in comparing him to Blanco.
Hated Blanco more than any other player ever, then he came to Chicago, opened the game with that classic butt trap of his, and off he went. The guy played in MLS with passion and represented Mexican soccer so well here, I became a fan (which deserves recognition on the old TV show “That’s Incredible!”)
Rafa is dog poop instead, literally a 180 degree opposite representative
Marquez is a thug. Not only does he tackle the guy and break his collarbone, Marquez is bear-hugging him the whole way and ends with a kick as he rolls off him.
He should be out three to five minimum.
+1
some teams get that call btw, recently even
I remember this vividly and it’s the #1 reason Rafa is by far the player that I hate the most. It’s worth noting that he also kicks Cobi studs up on the same play.
FIFA should have given this clown a life-time (or at least 1 year MINIMUM) ban for this, as it was NOTHING but an all out assault.
You’re right. Smaller players are asking for it by playing the game and don’t deserve protection from the referee. The little Ferreiras, Moraleses of the world need to learn that they’re playing a big boy game, and they should accept the fact that when players intentionally foul them its their fault if they get hurt because they’re so small. Get real man. Its not always easy to tell the difference between a professional foul like a jersey tug vs. a malicious foul that’s designed to intimidate or hurt an opposing player, but this is a pretty simple case. Salinas has every right to expect that the ref and the league will enforce the rules in a way that will keep him from being rugby tackled on the pitch. If they don’t, and rugby tackles are allowed in MLS, then you’re right – and it’ll be time for the little guys to find a new sport to play.
“He makes some nice long passes, but often gives the ball away on short easy ones.”
That’s actually a good summation of all Rafa does for this team. I’ve tried to like the guy but I think this is the final straw. He does not learn nor help.
He’s garbage. He should go Play in Mexico. I’m still bitter about his Mexico mnt days when he’d start fights with the u.s
hahaha!!! what a load of crap SVEN, please evacuate your bowels elsewhere
Rafa, a player with skills who instead loses out to his own emotional instability repeatedly…again and again and again and again…….
the beautiful game exposes weakness like his, again and again and again and again…….
The officials need suspensions also
3-5 games
Ha, Rafa is so hated there is no need to write “To make matters worse”.
Not sure if it is because this was the sites first story of the morning or if the Rafa venom is that strong, but 30+ responses in the AM in 1 hour of posting is awesome.
RB fan – I think it will be a 5-10 game ban from MLS disciplanry committee in light of the recent ones handed out to other players.
Whats disheartening is he often doesn’t look like he cares. Blanco was slow as molasses but played with passion and I think he brought the players around him up. Rafa – not so much.
Anyone have video of the Bernardez elbow?
Red Bull depth to be tested… NOW.
Jermaine Jones approves of this play!!
What a nice fella
Dear RAFA,
There’s a bus ticket to Chihuahua @ Union Station with your name on it.
ADIOS MF’r !!
Sincerely,
THE United States of America
The highlights show bernardez getting carried off the field in a stretcher but salinas did walk off the field if you watched the actual game
I want the Quakes to sign Rico Clark back so he can kick Marquez in the head.
FYI — Unless MLS’ video package has got it wrong, you’re wrong. Salinas was carried off the pitch on a stretcher…and probably put on a cart after that.
The way I see it Marquez was just helping Salinas cope with the pain from breaking his clavicle by kicking him in the face.
Should be a nice lengthy suspension.
Apparently, the majority of you have never watched any international, epl or any other league games. Look what John Terry did yesterday. I know no one got hurt, but do you have to get hurt for it to be a bad foul?
I’m not a fan of Marquez, but he can’t be suspended for that play. It was more unfortunate than anything else. Also, Salinas has a body of a 15 year old, so he was sure to get hurt, if anyone that weights over 100lbs lands on him.
Don’t oversell it. It’s a deliberate kick to be sure, but my guess is it wasn’t what caused Salinas’ injury. I”d bet the fracture came when Marquez fell on top of him, pinning his arm under the pile. It was a kick, and totally out of bounds to do since it wasn’t even part of the play. However, it wasn’t as violent or dangerous as some of the high-speed tackles you see in the game.
He intended to hold and push and even knock him down. Should have been a penalty and even a yellow card. But I don’t see malice, or an intent to injure, or recklessness. And I don’t see an intent to kick him — Marquez was bouncing off the turf. What I do see is stupidity and ridiculously bad defending, “physicality” taking the place of good positioning. I understand the vitriol aimed at Marquez for this, based on his past behavior, but this might not even have been the worst foul I saw in the match. Miller got scissored down from behind right in front of me (I was in Section 128) and had to leave the game, and that only drew a yellow.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m no fan of Marquez. For every good pass he makes, there are three bad ones and two instances of lazy defending. I actually think RBNY would be better off without him, if they can fill his roster spot with a good creative midfielder.
This may pointless to some, but it’s worth noting. We don’t know what caused Salinas’ clavicle break. Was it the fall or the kick? His first fell down hard on his left side and was later kicked on that same side by Rafa’s foot. Now, surely, Rafa meant to kick him. That’s clear. But, did he intend to to injury to him? Who knows? Does it even matter, though? Maybe violent contact is enough. Then again, had Rafa not tackled him, his clavicle wouldn’t have been broken.
Rafa’s violence is how he makes up for bad play. He totally got burned on the first goal. He was marking Baca (not Hans, the player for San Jose) and just stopped running, letting Baca be wide open to slot home that sitter. Redeem yourself with good play (see, Dax MacCarty’s wonder strike after his giveaway caused the first goal). Don’t resort to shady tactics.
As a RBNY fan, I’m all for a suspension here. Maybe 5 games.
The precident has already been set with the league giving out suspensions for malicious play…even play that DID NOT result in injury. If he is not given a suspension comensurate with the infraction, it will say a lot about the league and preferential treatment it gives to the large market teams and players.
Mullan’s takle was not clumsy. It was violent. It was in retaliation for a foul he didn’t get earlier. Mullan was going to get that ball whether Zakuani was there or not. I doubt that he meant to break his leg, but he sure meant to hit him hard.
Rafa’s is a dirty professional foul, where he is trying to get a little extra kick in . . just because. I think it is no less violent than Mullan’s and should be treated the same.
I’m a Red Bull fan and I hope he gets banned for life.
The guy is overpriced, he can’t run anymore, can’t defend, continues to be a hot-head on the field, and his own fans want him gone. It was a terrible signing by Red Bull in the first place and he has yet to play anywhere near the level that was expected of him. He’s past it and he’s a liability. Red Bull should get rid of him, free up that cap space and DP slot and sign a CB and CM.
He is a PoS and that was definitely with intent and should be a 10-game ban. Just to refresh the memories of anyone who thinks this latest assault is a an exception and not the rule, take a look at the this video and watch him intentionally head-butt USMNT player Cobi Jones in World Cup 2002. This was vicious assault that could have maimed Jones. And then look at the smirk on his face after he is red-carded and is leaving the field and you are just hoping to see it bench-slapped off his face.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY6VegRn_SY
Absolutely right. Marquez should be suspened (he obvioulsy hasn’t learned his lesson), as should Bernardez. He should’ve received a red card for an elbow to the head of Cooper. If the elbow was called right there wouldn’t of been all the chipiness the rest of the game.
Apparently you havent seen a concacaf match SVEN.
Actually, that plays embodies everything American soccer is: all physical and no skills.
it looks like Rafa has learned well.
He should be banned for a game, it was intentional.
OBVIOUSLY Rafa deserves a ban for this. A second and perhaps equally important question is why a foul was not called. Referees have to man up and make these calls. We all KNOW it is against the rules, but people keep saying “it happens all the time”. Well, the only way to stop it is to call the foul and give a PK. Its time to enforce the rules. By the way, I am a long-time defender not a forward so I think I am being pretty objective here.
hopefully he will just move on in the summer to free up the DP spot. He makes some nice long passes, but often gives the ball away on short easy ones. Overall, he is not worth the money by a long shot -on the field and off of it.
Then he goes and does stuff like this. Will be interesting to see if he apologizes to Salinas. The video is so clear. Dirtbag.
After Marqez’ antics at the end of last season, I thought MLS should have banned him from coming back in 2012. I’d suggest that MLS give him the 3 strikes and you’re out warning, this incident being 1 of 3.
Yup I dislike Marquez for many reasons.
FYI: Salinas walked off the pitch, Bernardez was carted off.
+ 20
Deport him
Suspension, maybe 5 games. The league should look at all Marquez’ play in this game also. His play shows a lot of disregard for his fellow players – and yes, he makes a point of dragging his leg over Salinas to make his point. Obviously I’ve never been a fan of “Rafa” after the elbow in WC2002, especially his smirking attitude on the way off the field.
Just reinforcing our hatred for him and Mexican soccer. He is garbage. Fine him and ban him.
This was far worse than other suspension-worthy fouls – I’m thinking of Mullan on Zakuani from early last season in particular. Marquez wrapped around Salinas twice on corners, and there is no question of his intent to bring him down and THEN to harm him with his trailing kick. Mullan’s tackle was clumsy and violent, but I don’t think he intended to hurt Zakuani. 3 game suspension and a healthy fine in my book.
10 match ban.
No one should be shocked at this. He is as dirty as they come, and he embodies everything Mexican soccer stands for.
Marquez should be suspended.
what an absolute piece of crap.
The game was out of hand early starting with the elbow to Cooper’s head.
That said, come on, Marquez.