Suspended Marquez won't join El Tricolor

Rafael Marquez will not join the Mexican national team for their upcoming World Cup qualifier after all.

A day after FIFA tacked on an additional game to his automatic one-match ban for a red card on Feb. 11, Mexican federation officials said Barcelona would not allow their player to travel to Mexico.

"Rafael Marquez will not join the team," FMF Secretary General Decio de Maria said. "His manager with Barcelona will not allow him to travel and train with the national team."

In Mexico's first match of the CONCACAF Hexagonal, Marquez was sent off in the second half of Mexico's game against the United States. Marquez was suspended automatically for Mexico's match against Costa Rica on March 28 and FIFA deemed his actions - a vicious kick to U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard's legs - worthy of another match on top of that, thus keeping him out of Mexico's game in Honduras on April 1.

Still, federation officials held out hope that Marquez would be able to join El Tri regardless.

"Barcelona are well within their rights. We don't need to make a scandal out of this," de Maria said. "International rules dictate that teams must allow national team players to travel on FIFA dates, but he does not fall under those regulations because he is ineligible to play."

Marquez is not the only player who is suspended for the Costa Rica match. Carlos Vela and Carlos Salcido must each serve a suspension and will not be eligible to play against the Ticos.

"If they are called up, they will be with us from the start," de Maria said. "They will serve their suspensions. In Vela's case, it will be his second of two suspensions while Salcido must only sit out one game. Each player would be eligible to play against Honduras."