Paolo Guerrero and everything that happened from his last match with Peru until today, which broke his silence

“To get back to my level? I have to solve the issue of my knee, it seems that he doesn’t want to let me play “. From that sentence —pronounced with a broken voice and a slight smile drawn on her face to hide her enormous frustration—, Paolo Guerrero began a long path of uncertainty, which still does not find an end more than 215 days later. And yet he continues to run against time.

passed the October 7, 2021 when Paolo Guerrero played his last match. Far from his best level, the ‘Predator’ played 62 minutes of the match against Chile in the Qualifiers. The Peruvian team had won the ‘Clásico del Pacífico’ and the national atmosphere was jubilant. Paolo was also happy, of course, but at the same time he was aware that he could not continue dealing with the problems with his knee.

A day later, the Peruvian ‘9’ was recalled from the Peruvian team due to his ligament injury. Since then, Guerrero has dedicated himself solely to his recovery. That is why he preferred to negotiate his departure from Inter de Porto Alegre as soon as possible.

On October 12, this newspaper was able to learn that the ‘Predator’ traveled to Germany to treat his knee problems while he continued to resolve his contract with Inter from afar. In the midst of it, many rumors arose of his return to Alianza Lima. “It is close, more and more”said Diego Gonzales Posada, president of the Blue and White Fund, in those days, leaving the doors open to the intimate idol.

Regarding Guerrero’s recovery, Juan Carlos Oblitas himself said that there was no defined time for the striker to return to the courts. “The Paolo issue is complicated because it is a medical issue and many factors play in relation to him, his age and the recovery he should have. We hope to have him in the conditions that are required, but I cannot give an answer as to whether he will be soon “he pointed.

After several days of negotiating, finally Inter announced the termination of the national striker’s contract on October 26 and thanked him for everything he did for the club during the three years he was there.

“Sport Club Internacional and the athlete Paolo Guerrero, out of mutual interest, adjusted the early termination of the employment contract. A great idol of Peruvian soccer and a recognized world career, the striker wore the color shirt in 72 games and scored 32 goals. The club appreciates and wishes to succeed in the aftermath of his career”said the Brazilian team in a statement.

Rumors, series, recovery

After his departure from Inter became official, the rumors of his return to Alianza Lima increased, but not only that. In Argentina, Guerrero was also constantly linked with the Boca Juniors. The same gaucho press placed the Peruvian in the orbit of ‘Xeneize’.

For his part, Guerrero preferred to avoid those topics as much as possible and remained focused on his recovery. He spent several days in Germany, undergoing therapies that helped him strengthen the affected area. Before his return to Lima, his mother Doña ‘Peta’ confirmed that the ‘Predator’ did not need any operation.

“Paolo is better, he did not need an operation but a treatment, he did physiotherapy and is recovering in the best way. The knee no longer swells after the operation in Brazil. So we had to come here to see what he had and why the swelling. We will be back in the next few days”told from Germany, Doña Peta, the striker’s mother hen, to the channel Integrations Fernsehen.

Already with the double date of November of the Qualifiers on the horizon, Ricardo Gareca lamented the absence of the captain and assured that he would wait for him as long as necessary. The main thing, in any case, will always be the health of the one directed by him.

“He worked to be well, in the best way. This is a setback that she has, she is working through it, trying to see through it. He wants to continue playing at a good level. the selection will only have to wait for its process. In the meantime, we will face the matches”then pointed out the ‘Tiger’.

After Paolo’s return to our capital, Netflix announced the start of filming a miniseries called “With you Captain”, which deals with the difficult moment that the “Predator” experienced in his legal battle with the World Anti-Doping Association since 2017. The actor Nikko Ponce is in charge of bringing the national “9” to life in the bioseries.

In the first days of November, Guerrero began his individual work in La Videna, under the guidance of the Peruvian team’s doctors, with the intention of reaching the last Qualifying matches in March 2022. Thanks to this, Gareca has continued closely its evolution.

“He is focused on his recovery to be in the national team and to get to where he has to be. We watch him closely, eager to see his evolution and see when he starts playing ”said the ‘Tiger’.

One more year and an uncertain future

As Guerrero has continued to recover at La Videna, his next football destination has become a major topic of conversation. In principle, the Peruvian striker ruled out his return to Alianza Lima, since his intention was to continue playing abroad. “I still don’t have it in my plans”, assured. But over time he changed his mind and has not closed the doors to the blue and white club again.

In this context, the rumors of his arrival at Boca Juniors increased, when a xeneize doctor visited Lima to personally attend to Guerrero. Although that was more because of a recommendation from Néstor Bonillo. Of course, the interest of the Argentine club depended on the physical condition of the ‘Predator’ and for this reason Jorge ‘El Patrón’ Bermúdez, a member of the Boca Juniors Football Council, also came.

Before beginning the month of December, Guerrero spoke exclusively with El Comercio and, when asked about his future, he replied: “I have proposals from abroad. Coming to Alianza motivates me a lot, it’s not that I rule it out, but I have to analyze “.

He ended 2021 amid rumors and started 2022 with Paolo’s 38th birthday. One more year of life, but complicated. Again. The Peruvian striker was even criticized for having organized a party despite the restrictions due to the pandemic. “Each one is the owner of taking care of his life”, Gareca justified.

Be that as it may, the ‘Predator’ continued his recovery in La Videna and has kept an eye on the matches of the Peruvian team. He has even encouraged from the National Stadium box on some occasions.

In February 2022, our striker traveled to the United States to continue his special knee treatments. “I’m doing work in the field, but little by little”counted upon returning from the North American country, but it was not enough.

A month passed and The transfer market in Peruvian soccer closed on March 8 without Guerrero defining his future. And to return to the Peruvian national team, he kept running against time, although in the end he could not be ready for the double final date in March.

So, he had to settle for encouraging his teammates from home. After the defeat against Uruguay in Montevideo and the victory against Venezuela in Lima, the ‘Predator’ lived, suffered and rejoiced as one more fan for the classification of the national team to the intercontinental playoff.

“Congratulations guys for the great victory, for giving that joy to all of Peru. Peru is proud of all of you, for the effort, sacrifice, for everything you put into these Qualifiers. Go, Peru”were his words.

Since then, his status has become a mystery. Guerrero stopped visiting La Videna frequently and Peru remained without news of his recovery for more than two months in which he did not declare anything. But this May 12 he broke his silence.

Currently, the ‘Predator’ is now in Phoenix, United States, where he faces the last stage of his recovery until the fortnight of this month, as confirmed by the same striker in an interview with FIFA Plus. His wish is to play the playoffs, but that will depend on his physical condition and also on what Ricardo Gareca decides.

“What if I make it to June 13? I kill for my selection. I play for Peru until I catch. I am available. That will depend on me, on how I am. I have to be honest with myself: what I want most is to be 100% well and be able to play without any problem. I don’t want to advance anything, I don’t want to rush anything. I am with my recovery process. But if I get to 13 and I’m in top condition… why not?he noted in the interview.

Guerrero’s situation is quite complicated. So far, he hasn’t even found a club to support him in his return to action. For this reason, at this point, playing the playoffs is practically impossible for him, but his hopes of returning to the ‘Blanquirroja’ soon, as has become clear, will not vanish just like that.