Yaya Toure Says Rafael Marquez Was '10 Times Better' Than Gerard Pique

Rafael Marquez holds high status among the great Barcelona defenders, so much so that former Blaugrana team-mate Yaya Toure says the Mexico legend was "10 times better" than incumbent stalwart Gerard Pique.

Toure appeared on Sky Sports Monday Night Football (h/t Marca) and named Marquez in his all-time XI, explaining why he preferred the seven-year Camp Nou veteran to Pique, another of his former team-mates in Catalonia:

"He's one of the toughest defenders I know. But having not played in England, people don't remember him.

"Go on YouTube and watch him play, he was ten times better than Pique.

"They can be similar, but I'm telling you he was ten times better, I fell in love with how good he was."

It's true Marquez maybe isn't as appreciated as the special defender he was by the modern audience, particularly outside of Spain, as Toure said. Marquez—now sporting president  at Mexican club Atlas—made 242 appearances for Barca and spent the best years of his career at the heart of their back line, while he also made 146 appearances for Mexico.

Football writer Muhammad Butt had a different take on Toure's comparison:

Since rejoining Barcelona from Manchester United in 2008, Pique, 31, has won La Liga on seven occasions, six Copas del Rey and three UEFA Champions League titles, as well as three FIFA Club World Cups.

Marquez doesn't quite stand up by comparison, although considering he only played four seasons at the Camp Nou, his tally of four La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and two Champions League wins is almost as impressive.

The El Tri icon was also fortunate to spend time alongside a more youthful Carles Puyol for his tenure, while Pique has become the defence's new leader with the departure of Puyol and others.

Butt added more context for why he disagrees with Toure, and he noted Pique's success despite featuring in one of the most effective attacking systems in the world:

Barca purchased Marquez from AS Monaco a few years after he helped lead the French Riviera outfit to a Ligue 1 crown in 2000, but his club career took him to the United States and Italy, as well as his native Mexico.

Squawka also highlighted Pique's illustrious international accomplishments:

Toure named a bold 3-1-4-2 formation, but there's no doubting he has some insight as someone who spent three years with Marquez in Catalonia and two years with Pique. 

Pique has another three-and-a-half years left to run on his Barcelona contract and could double the length of Marquez's stay if he remains until 2022.