Erick Noriega labels Senegal ‘very formidable team’ ahead of Peru friendly

Peru national team Erick Noriega had admitted they will not have an easy game when they take on African champions Senegal in a friendly during the upcoming FIFA international break.

Peru national team will first face the Lions of Teranga, then Honduras, on March 28th and 31st. For Noriega, a defender for Gremio in Brazil, Saturday’s opponent at the Stade de France is very strong.

After playing Peru, Senegal will face the Gambia in another friendly on Tuesday, March 31.

Senegal made up of very experienced players

“We need to prepare in the best possible way to get a good result. This isn’t just a friendly match. Senegal is a very formidable team, made up of very experienced and famous players,” said Noriega as quoted by WiwSport.

“This isn’t just a friendly. We are representing our country. We have a new process, a new staff, and several teammates are experiencing their first call-up. But we have seen the commitment and determination of everyone, so we are very happy to be able to start in the best possible way.”

However, Peru will come up against a Senegalese side who will miss the services of the injured Sadio Mane.

Having injured his ankle during training in preparation for the match against Al-Khaleej in the 26th round of the Saudi Pro League, the Senegalese striker was forced to miss his club’s last match, a 5-0 victory for Al-Nassr.

Mane was also not called up by Pape Thiaw, who preferred to let him focus on his recovery with his club during the international break.

Senegal are gearing up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they have been drawn into Group I alongside France and Norway, with one more team set to join via the playoffs.

The upcoming friendlies will provide an important opportunity for coach Thiaw to assess his squad and test combinations to use the best plans possible to use in the World Cup.

Senegal squad to face Peru;

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli), Yehvann Diouf (Nice), Mory Diaw (Le Havre).

Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal), Moussa Niakhaté (Lyon), El Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham), Krépin Diatta (Monaco), Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray), Antoine Mendy (Nice), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa), Noble Mendy (Rayo Vallecano).

Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Lamine Camara (Monaco), Habib Diarra (Sunderland), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Pape Cissé (Rayo Vallecano).

Forwards: Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace), Boulaye Dia (Lazio), Chérif Ndiaye (Samsunspor), Bamba Dieng (Lorient), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Habib Diallo (Metz), Ibrahima Mbaye (Paris Saint-Germain), Mamadou Diachoune (Club Brugge), Assane Diao (Como).