MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay -- Barcelona's Luis Suarez, currently serving a nine-match international ban for his World Cup bite of Italy's Giorgio Chiellini, was not included in Oscar Tabarez's squad for Uruguay's September friendlies vs. Japan and South Korea, despite the fact that the ban only includes 'official matches.'
Tabarez, who has not yet signed a contract extension with Uruguay, also left out Diego Lugano, Diego Forlan, Diego Perez and Gaston Ramirez, with his squad having a much younger appearance than the one he took to the World Cup. Ramirez is recovering from an injury.
A total of 29 players were called up and the final cut of 21 or 22 for the two friendlies will be made next week. Uruguay will play Japan in Sapporo on Sept. 5.
Uruguay squad:
Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martín Silva (Vasco da Gama, Brazil), Rodrigo Muñoz (Libertad, Paraguay) and Martín Campaña (Defensor Sporting, Uruguay)
Defenders: Diego Godín (Atlético Madrid), José María Giménez (Atlético Madrid), Sebastián Coates (Liverpool), Emiliano Velázquez (Danubio, Uruguay), Martín Cáceres (Juventus), Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica), Jorge Fucile (Nacional, Uruguay), Álvaro Pereira (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Mathías Corujo (Universidad de Chile, Chile), Matías Aguirregaray (Estudiantes de La Plata, Argentina) and Alejandro Silva (Peñarol, Uruguay).
Midfielders: Walter Gargano (Napoli), Egidio Arévalo Ríos (Tigres UANL, México), Álvaro González (Lazio), Diego Laxalt (Empoli, Italy), Camilo Mayada (Danubio, Uruguay), Jorge Rodríguez (Peñarol, Uruguay), Nicolás Lodeiro (Corinthians, Brazil), Cristian Rodríguez (Atlético Madrid) and Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Defensor Sporting, Uruguay).
Forwards: Cristhian Stuani (Espanyol), Diego Rolan (Girondins), Jonathan Rodríguez (Peñarol, Uruguay), Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain) and Abel Hernández (Palermo).