Dessers injury: Cremonese reveal Nigeria striker suffered ‘blunt trauma'
- Cremonese confirm Dessers injury but no time frame on return
- The 27-year-old Nigerian has a problem on his left thigh
- Okereke & Afena-Gyan could play key roles in his absence
WHAT HAPPENED? The Nigeria forward left the pitch in tears after just 23 minutes of Sunday’s Serie A encounter with Udinese, which ended goalless, with what looked like a muscle injury and the club has now confirmed the problem.
WHAT DID CREMONESE SAY? “In the past few hours, Cyriel Dessers underwent instrumental examinations which revealed a blunt trauma to the left thigh with the presence of a hematoma,” the club said via a statement on its website.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: While it has not been revealed how long he will be out, Dessers’ injury is a setback to Cremonese, who are bottom of the Serie A standings, with just five points from 12 matches.
The Nigeria international, who joined the newly-promoted side in the summer transfer window from Belgian giants Genk, has been a permanent fixture in the starting XI, featuring in all 12 league matches while scoring two goals and providing one assist.
Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro will also hope that the Belgian-born striker will not be out for long given his side has friendly matches against Costa Rica on November 10 and Portugal seven days later.
Cremonese are the only side yet to win a match in the Italian top-flight this season and in the absence of the 27-year-old, goalscoring responsibilities will be on his Nigerian compatriot David Okereke, who has four goals in all competitions, and Ghanaian youngster Felix Afena-Gyan, who has struggled for game time, since joining from AS Roma in the summer.
WHAT’S NEXT? Dessers looks like he will miss Saturday’s away clash to Salernitana in Serie A and will hope to be back for Cremonese’s home tie against champions AC Milan on November 8 before the World Cup break.