When Xavi announced his departure from the FC Barcelona bench at the end of the season, Rafael Marquez, the coach of the reserve team, was then in the management’s little papers. Since then, the Mexican has been going through quite an ordeal…
After his immense career (which ended at the age of 39 after playing in a fifth World Cup – each time as captain!), Rafael Marquez returned to Spain to complete his coaching diplomas. The former Barça defender (2003-2010, for two Champions Leagues) managed the U15s of RSD Alcala, before being named head of the Blaugranas reserve team in July 2022.
Marquez could have had an exceptional rise to the bench of FC Barcelona. After Xavi’s announcement of his decision to leave his post at the end of the season, on January 27, two names first leaked to the Catalan press: Rafa Marquez, the reserve coach, highly appreciated by certain internal managers, and Thiago Motta, another former house, stationed in Bologna.
Rafa Marquez makes a series of blunders
“ I can’t say no », then replied Rafa Marquez to a journalist asking him if he was ready to take charge of the residents of the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys (the Camp Nou being in the middle of renovation). Fatal error ! The public declaration of the former Monaco defender caused discussion within the staff and President Joan Laporta quickly turned to a more experienced coach in the person of Hansi Flick.
Worse for Marquez, if his second season at the head of Barça Atlètic is once again satisfactory (4th in the standings, four points behind the leader), he has since made another misstep. The native of Zamora promoted an online betting site on his Instagram, which angered the management of the FCB, linked to other partners of this kind. After an aborted promotion, a non-renewal is near…
