Peru coach beset by injuries in Copa America build-up

Peru’s efforts to climb off the bottom rung of South American football at the Copa America have been undermined by injuries to key players.

Winger Jefferson Farfan was the latest player to suffer a setback when he hurt his left thigh muscle in practice on Friday, the team’s Uruguayan coach Sergio Markarian told reporters ahead of the tournament in Argentina that starts on July 1.

Peru striker Claudio Pizarro is already out of the Copa America but Markarian is hopeful midfielder Juan Vargas will recover from injury in time.

“It was 20 minutes into football practice. Farfan had made a very good move … and then he was injured. The way he fell is worrying,” said the coach.

Farfan, who has not yet been ruled out of the tournament, is due to have a scan to determine the extent of his injury.

Markarian said tests taken some weeks ago showed several players in the squad had muscle problems, including Farfan, and the coaching staff had been careful not to overload them.

Peru, in Group C with Chile, Uruguay and Mexico, are looking for a good tournament ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

The Peruvians last played at a World Cup in Spain in 1982 and finished bottom of the South American group in the 2010 qualifiers.

“This has never happened to me … never in my life,” Markarian said of having three players injured at the same time.

“It’s unusual, inexplicable (but) it’s not bad luck,” added the 66-year-old who has also coached Paraguay and club sides in Peru, Greece, Mexico, Chile and Uruguay.

“This alters everything. I plan something and (have to) go re-doing it as I go along.”