Rafa Marquez returns to the pitch for first time since Department of Treasury allegations

Jon Arnold

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Rafa Marquez returns to the pitch for first time since Department of Treasury allegations image
Rafa Marquez returned to the field for the first time since the U.S. Department of Treasury designated him a frontman for a drug kingpin, starting Atlas' Saturday contest against Queretaro.

Marquez was on the bench in the team's midweek Copa MX loss to Chivas but didn't enter the game.

Marquez has maintained his innocence since the August designation, which does not charge him with a crime but does freeze finances associated with the United States. Marquez's lawyers were able to unfreeze some of the 37-year-old's assets earlier this week and he was cleared to return to the field in Mexico. He still can not enter the U.S. and his status for the national team remains uncertain.

"Our captain returns!" Atlas wrote in a tweet.

Englishman Ravel Morrison opened the scoring early with his debut Liga MX goal as Atlas continues to fight for a spot in the postseason but Atlas ended up playing from behind later in the first half and settled for a 2-2 draw.

Jon Arnold

Jon Arnold Photo

Jon Arnold covered the Mexico national team and Concacaf region in English for Goal until March 2020. His byline also has appeared in the Dallas Morning News, the New York Times Goal blog, FloFC and Pacific Standard. In addition to his written work, he serves as the Concacaf expert on the BBC's World Football Phone-In and has appeared on SiriusXMFC in English and Fox Deportes and Milenio in Spanish. Formerly based in Tijuana and currently living in Texas, Jon covered the 2018 World Cup, the 2015 Copa America, the 2016 Copa America Centenario and the last five Gold Cups.