Estoril Praia has emerged as one of the surprises of the season in Portugal. The team, which features former Valencia player Ferro, Pizzi (ex-Deportivo, Atlético, and Espanyol), and Spaniards Joel Robles, Ricard Sánchez, and Jandro Orellana, opened the second half of the season in seventh place.
However, after four consecutive defeats, they have dropped to ninth place. These four setbacks have coincided with four consecutive bench appearances for Alejandro José Marqués (Caracas, 2000).
The importance of the Venezuelan international—who previously played for Spain’s U19 team—goes beyond the five goals (four in the league) he has scored in 25 matches (1,142 minutes). The former player of Espanyol, Barcelona, Juventus, and Mirandés, who arrived on a free transfer in 2023, has become a talisman for Ian Cathro’s side.
Estoril has recorded six wins in the 13 games where Marqués has started. In contrast, they have failed to win—accumulating seven losses and four draws—in the 11 matches in which he has come off the bench.
The difference isn’t just the win percentage (46% vs. 0%). The team also shows a greater attacking output. In the 13 matches where Marqués started, they scored 26 goals (two per game), compared to just 11 (one per game) when he was a substitute.
His future is currently up in the air. His contract expires in June, but renewal talks have stalled. With growing interest from the Brazilian market, he intends to listen to offers before making a final decision for next season.