After a rocky start, Peru, coached by Ricardo Gareca, have recovered and currently are in the fifth place of the standings, securing at least the chance to go into the playoffs. The team still has time to make it into the top four, but in order to do that, they can’t afford to lose points.

In their last two games, they beat Venezuela and Bolivia. But now they are going to play with Colombia and Ecuador, who also want to get into Qatar 2022. Gareca called a 30-men roster, but veteran Paolo Guerrero won’t be playing for La Blanquirroja. Here, check out why.

Paolo Guerrero won’t be playing for Peru

Guerrero, 38, has not been playing with a club since he left Internacional Porto Alegre in October 2021. The forward was linked with his boyhood club Alianza Lima, but they didn’t reach an agreement. On the other hand, he’s been dealing with an injury on his right knee since 2020.

Talking about why he didn’t call Guerrero and Jefferson Farfan for this double date, Gareca said that he admired them and they’re “important” players, however, that doesn’t “guarantee” them a spot in the squad. “We’re supporting them, but that doesn’t mean they are going to play with the national team,” the coach said.

Gareca also explained that he wants Guerrero “to play, to have rhythm and to be happy, because he doesn’t have anything to prove.” He has scored 39 goals with the national team of Peru and given 10 assists.

The injury that Paolo Guerrero is suffering will prevent him from playing the rest of the year with Peru and with his club Inter de Porto Alegre. A couple of days ago Guerrero returned from Germany after consulting a doctor who specializes in knee injuries.

But this is not the first time that he suffers from problems with his right knee, last year Paolo Guerrero underwent surgery on his knee for a torn cruciate ligament and in June 2021 he had to undergo an arthroscopy to check the condition of the ligament.

Why isn’t Paolo Guerrero playing for Peru in Conmebol 2022 World Cup qualifiers?

The Peruvian football federation announced on October 8, 2021 that Paolo Guerrero would not be called up again for the games against Argentina and Bolivia (Matchday 12 and 13). The reason is not mentioned in the official statement, but Paolo Guerrero said after the game against Chile on October 7 (Matchday 11) that “My knee won’t let me play.” Therefore, Guerrero’s absence with Peru in the 2022 South American Qualifiers is directly related to his right knee.

Ricardo Gareca, Peru’s head coach, has not yet announced the replacement of Guerrero for the game against Bolivia on November 11 at home, but it is likely that Wilmer Aguirre will play in the attacking forward position that will be available by the absence of Paolo Guerrero.

Paolo Guerrero is a 37-year-old veteran, he has scored a total of 38 goals in 107 appearances for Peru. His debut with the senior team was during the 2006 World Cup Qualifiers against Chile. It is unlikely that Paolo will be able to play with Peru again in a World Cup.

Their most recent match was played on November 17,2020, when La Albicelestegrabbed a comfortable 2-0 win away at the Stadion Nacional in Lima in their first clash inMatchday 4. It promises to be an even more exciting clash as these two countries clash for the first time this year,at the CONMEBOL World Cup 2022 Qualifiers.

Several key players of the Peruvian squad will miss this Matchday 12 clash, and veteran starPaolo Guerrero is one of them. Here you will find out why the 37-year-old Peru internationalis out of this matchup.

Why isn’t Paolo Guerreroplaying for Peru against Argentina?

Paolo Guerrero hastraveled to Europe to treat his right knee which will sideline him from soccer action until 2022.The Peruvian’s idea is to give full attention to the recovery of his right knee, which still hinders his best performance. So much so that the 37-year-old athlete plans a treatment in Germany and should only return to playing next year.

As a result, the veteranasked to be released from his clubInternacional,terminatinghis contract. Prior to the match against Bolivia on Matchday 5of the Qatar 2022 Qualifiers, the Peruvian team announced that Guerrero would be ruled outfor the October matches. In addition, even his presence in theNovember games has been put in huge doubt.

After he tore the cruciate ligament in his right knee in 2020, the center forward underwent two surgeries. The last one should have definitely solved the problem. However, in an interview after the game against Chile,the 37-year-old striker confirmed that he is still suffering in pain. In addition to him, RaulRuidiaz, Andre Carrillo, Renato Tapia, Edison Flores, and Jordy Reyna have also been sidelined and they will have not joined theWhite and Red squad to face Argentina.

The 37-year-oldcenter-forward has been La Blanquirroja’s leader for the past decade and more. Not only he scored 39goals in 104 appearances, but he has also helped the team reaching their first World Cup in 36 years and a Copa America final in 2019.

Moreover, Guerrero has played such a pivotal role in Peru that he became the team’s leading goalscorer in the continental competition, being the active player with the most goals alongside Eduardo Vargas, who tied him in this edition. Then why is he not playingCopa America 2021?

The reason why Paolo Guerrero is missing the Copa America 2021

Soccer fans got used to seeing only one man leading La Blanquirroja’s attack, Guerrero, who asides from being the main man in front has wornthe armband and carried the team all by himself multiple times. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it to the current continental cup.

Ricardo Gareca confirmed that Paolo Guerrero wasn’t called up by Peru for the Copa America 2021 because he is still recovering from a physical problem. Apparently, Guerrero is still in pain inhis right knee, where he suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament in August 2020.

Even though he returned to action in March 2021, the Peruvian legend has not been able to play frequently as he only took part in eight games in about four months. Guerrero started in Peru’s 0-3 loss against Colombia in the World Cup Qualifiers in June but then missed the victory over Ecuador before being ruled out for the Copa America 2021.

The 47th edition ofsoccer’soldest national team contest promises to be an exciting event this year, with Argentina hoping to end a long drought, while all the other nine nations head with plenty of expectations as well.

As the tournament is getting close, it’s time to rememberthe records and the most important players to have taken part in the Copa America. Here, find out who are the leading goalscorers of the competition.

Copa America top scorers

From its early years, the South American championship quickly became one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world, with powerful national teams taking part in it. As the years went by, it kept on being attractive as moresidesbegan to emerge and world superstars featured in the contest.

It is no secret that this continent has had much of the world’s greatest players, and Copa America showcased them throughout the years. To recall the leading goalscorers in the cup’s history, we have to go back in time.

Argentine Norberto Méndez and Brazilian Zizinho are the Copa America top scorers with 17 goals each, which were netted during their playing years in the ’40s. From then on, however, many more players hogged the spotlight and recorded impressive marks, despite Méndez and Zizinho’s record remains unmatched.

From active players, Paolo Guerrero is the top scorer. However, other names that don’t appear on the list but have also been on target many times and are still playing are Chilean Eduardo Vargas (13 goals) and Argentinean superstars Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero, both with nine goals.