Last Updated: Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:10
Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz is waiting for the results of a scan on his hamstring but says he is not fit to play for Paraguay.
The player picked up the injury against Manchester United at the weekend but Rovers officials feared that Paraguay could force him to join the rest of the squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Peru.
That could still be the case but Santa Cruz insists he is struggling with the injury and would prefer to stay at Ewood Park to undergo treatment.
Santa Cruz told Paraguayan radio AM 970: "I am undergoing physiotherapy here at the club. The national team doctors will be faxed a report about the results of an MRI scan and, depending on that, I will know whether I have to travel to Paraguay.
"To be honest, the affected muscle hurts a lot and I am unable to run because it needs some time to recover.
"Unfortunately, I will miss both games. I would love to be with my team-mates but if I can, I will support them from here. There are lots of possibilities that I follow the treatment here so I would not need to fly to Asuncion."