Requena left off Universitario's roster for clásico against Alianza Lima

The list is out, and there's one name missing entirely: Juan Manuel Requena. Universitario kicked off its lockdown training camp this Thursday with the clásico against Alianza Lima in mind, and the big surprise on the roster is exactly that absence.

The Argentine midfielder, who arrived as one of the most talked-about signings of the Clausura, went in just a few weeks from being a fixture under Héctor Cúper to being left completely off the 20-man squad for the trip to face Alianza Lima at Matute. Something broke down along the way, and the numbers back that up: Requena never quite convinced as a central midfielder, and against Comerciantes Unidos he couldn't even finish the match, getting subbed out in the second half.

Who takes his spot? Everything points to Jorge Murrugarra, who looks set to start in central midfield for the club in the clásico. Cúper is still keeping some options in his back pocket in case the match forces him to shuffle the bench: Horacio Calcaterra and Héctor Fertoli stand out as the clearest alternatives for an on-the-fly change of plans.

Corzo returns, Flores wins out

Beyond Requena's absence, the roster brings two pieces of good news for the 'U'. The first is the return of Aldo Corzo, the longtime captain, who is back in a squad list after several matches on the outside. The defender's experience could carry weight in a setting like Matute, where clásicos are rarely decided by soccer alone.

The second is the battle won by Edison Flores. The attacking midfielder claimed a spot that José Rivera was also after, with Cúper opting for Flores for this particular match.

Not everyone made the cut, of course. Along with Requena, the coach left out Bryan Reyna and Jordan Guivin, two players who had found room on previous rosters but are now on the outside looking in for the club's biggest match of the half.

With this picture set, Universitario now knows exactly what it has to work with for one of the toughest matches of the year. The clásico between Alianza Lima and Universitario is set for Saturday, September 12, at 8:00 p.m. (Peru time), at Estadio Alejandro Villanueva, and can be watched live on L1 Max.