New York Red Bulls midfielder Rafael Marquez has come under intense scrutiny for the play that resulted in a broken clavicle for San Jose's Shea Salinas last weekend (watch it here).
But while there has been widespread criticism of the Mexican international, here's a take that hasn't proven as common and it comes from ESPN Deportes Radio Formula in Mexico.
On-air reporter Mauricio Pedroso analyzes the video this way (translation follows):
"No way. Rafa is marking as is typical on a corner kick with the bad luck that Salinas is falling and even worst luck that at the moment of falling his shoulder makes impact with all the weight of both Salinas and Marquez … The most clear example is in the NFL. In the NFL defenders know when they capture the quarterback they know exactly how to make him fall so that the weight falls directly onto the shoulder … But this is not the case here."
If a sanction comes down from the MLS Disciplinary Committee, Pedroso says it would be "unjust."
