Lima, May 16 (EFE).- Peru’s soccer federation (FPF) on Wednesday unveiled head coach Ricardo Gareca’s provisional call-ups for this summer’s World Cup in Russia, a roster that does not include 39-year-old striker Claudio Pizarro or suspended forward Paolo Guerrero.
The call-up list was posted on the Peruvian national soccer team’s Twitter page, while Gareca is to discuss his choices at a press conference on Wednesday.
The list of players includes Jefferson Farfan, Raul Ruidiaz, Pedro Gallese, Alberto Rodriguez, Miguel Trauco, Renato Tapia, Edison Flores, Yoshimar Yotun and Andre Carrillo.
But several big names did not appear: Guerrero, who on Monday was excluded from the World Cup after the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport extended his doping suspension from six months to 14 months; Pizarro; and 23-year-old attacking midfielder Cristian Benavente, whose possible inclusion on the list was a hotly debated subject among fans and sports reporters in recent weeks.
Guerrero was a key player in the qualifying phase for Peru, which qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1982.
The list, sent Saturday to FIFA by the FPF, consists of 24 players: three goalkeepers, nine defenders, nine midfielders and three forwards.
Gareca has until June 4 to unveil his definitive list of 23 players, according to local media.
The national team will play a friendly against Scotland in Lima on May 28, after which it will travel to Europe for a friendly in Austria on June 3 against Saudi Arabia and one more on June 9 against Sweden in Gothenburg.
Peru has been drawn into Group C in the World Cup along with France, Australia and Denmark.
The official list of 24 players is the following:
Goalkeepers: Gallese (Veracruz-MEX), Carlos Caceda (Veracruz-MEX) and Jose Carvallo (UTC).
Defenders: Aldo Corzo (Universitario), Luis Advincula (Lobos BUAP-Mexico), Miguel Araujo (Alianza Lima), Alberto Rodriguez (Junior-Colombia), Christian Ramos (Veracruz-Mexico), Anderson Santamaria (Puebla-Mexico), Luis Abram (Velez Sarsfield-Argentina) and Miguel Trauco (Flamengo-Brazil).
Midfielders: Renato Tapia (Feyenoord-Netherlands), Pedro Aquino (Lobos BUAP-Mexico), Yoshimar Yotun (Orlando City-USA), Sergio Peña (Granada-Spain), Edison Flores (Aalborg-Denmark), Paolo Hurtado (Vitoria de Guimaraes-Portugal), Wilder Cartagena (Veracruz-Mexico), Nilson Loyola (Melgar), Christian Cueva (Sao Paulo-Brazil) and Andre Carrillo (Watford-England).
Forwards: Jefferson Farfan (Lokomotiv-Russia), Andy Polo (Portland Timbers-USA) and Raul Ruidiaz (Morelia-Mexico).