As the World Cup edges closer, we continue our run down of all 32 competing nations in Russia.
Having already previewed, France, Australia and Denmark, it’s time to round off Group C with South American representatives Peru.
Peru are gearing up for the first World Cup campaign since 1982, but preparations have been far from ideal.
Ricardo Gareca will be without talismanic captain Paolo Guerrero after FIFA announced earlier this month their decision to extend the 34-year-old’s doping ban.
FIFA had previously reduced his ban to six months, which enabled the veteran striker to play at the World Cup, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport have since extended the suspension to 14 months.
The captains of France, Australia and Denmark have even rallied together in a bid to get Guerrero’s suspension over-turned, but their efforts appear to be in vain.
Guerrero is Peru’s all-time goalscorer and his absence will undeniably be a blow to their chances of escaping the group stage of a World Cup for the first time in 40 years.
However, Peru are not lacking experience in attack. The South American’s will still have Jefferson Farfan at their disposal.
Farfan, who is the most experienced member of Peru’s World Cup squad, is fresh from helping Lokomotiv Moscow win the Russian Premier League for the first time since 2004.
The 33-year-old finished the campaign as Lokomotiv’s top scorer in the league, although a return of 10 goals is not particularly impressive.
Farfan is not the only player capable of scoring in the Peru ranks. Gareca can also call on the services of Paolo Hurtado, who impressed for Portuguese side Vitoria de Guimaraes this season.
The 27-year-old finished the season with 11 goals and five assists in 25 league appearances for Vitoria, helping Jose Peseiro’s side to a midtable finish.
Hurtado has not managed to carry his club form onto the international scene as of yet, but Gareca will need others to contribute with no Guerrero to call on.
Peru beat New Zealand in a World Cup play-off to book their name in the tournament after finishing fifth in the CONMEBOL section of qualification.
Only Brazil (41) and Uruguay (32) scored more goals in CONMEBOL than Peru (27), but Guerrero netted six of those.
If Peru can cope without Guerrero’s presence through the likes of Farfan, Edison Flores and Hurtado then Gareca will hope to make history by making the knockout stages of the 2018 World Cup.
