Peru travel to Montevideo to face Uruguay on Matchday 17 of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, a decisive game for their hopes of reaching the tournament. However, Los Incas will be missing two of their biggest names: Paolo Guerrero and Andre Carrillo.
Both forwards are sidelined with injuries suffered while playing for their clubs. Guerrero, the veteran striker, sustained a muscle tear while playing for Alianza Lima against Universidad Catolica in the Copa Sudamericana on August 13, ruling him out for the crucial showdown with Uruguay.
Carrillo’s situation is more complicated. The Corinthians forward suffered a ligament injury in his left ankle during a Copa do Brasil match against Palmeiras on August 6, which required surgery. Corinthians head coach Dorival Junior confirmed that Carrillo will be sidelined until late 2025.
Peru enter the match in a precarious position. Sitting ninth in the standings with just 12 points, Oscar Ibañez’s side needs wins against both Uruguay and Paraguay to keep their playoff hopes alive. Even then, their chances will also depend on results from Bolivia and Venezuela.
Could Guerrero return against Paraguay?
If Peru manage to beat Uruguay, their playoff hopes would come down to the final match at home against Paraguay. Local media have speculated about the possibility of Guerrero being available for that game.
However, the Alianza Lima striker made it clear in an interview outside his club’s training facility that he has not spoken with anyone from the national team about a possible return. He also emphasized that he prefers to complete his recovery properly this time and avoid rushing back, as he did before.
“I am recovering well, calmly. I haven’t spoken with anyone from the national team. The guys will do their best. First, we need to think about Uruguay and then Paraguay. I prefer to stay calm; I don’t want to rush anything, look at what happened last time. There are guys who will do well, and all of Peru, let’s hope, will support them because they will give everything,” Guerrero explained.