Super Eagles striker Cyriel Dessers has backed his club US Cremonese to escape relegation from the Italian Serie A during the 2022/23 season.
Cremonese gained automatic promotion to the Serie A for the 2022/23 season after finishing second in Serie B during the 2021/22 season with 69 points.
However, the Giorgiorossi are battling against a straight return to the lower division as they are currently 19th in the Serie A with only four (4) points from their first 10 league matches.
Dessers joined Cremonese on a permanent deal during the summer transfer window after impressing in the UEFA Europa Conference League for Feyenoord during the 2021/22 season.
Despite being winless in the league so far, the Super Eagles striker believes that Cremonese can still get their act together and avoid a drop back to the Serie B.
Dessers told HLN as reported by scorenigeria: “I don’t believe we will be relegated. If we are to continue with the results we are recording now, it could get us relegated, so it would be great to be above the danger zone before long.”
Dessers recently broke his scoring duck for Cremonese, finding the back of the net in front of his home fans in a 4-1 defeat to league leaders Napoli on Sunday, October 9.
The Nigeria international, who had previously gone eight (8) games without scoring for Cremonese, followed up the Napoli goal with another against Spezia to earn a 2-2 draw.
Dessers admitted that it was a nice feeling to score his first goal for Cremonese as he expects that he can now show his quality in the Serie A where he has always dreamt of playing.
"It was a nice feeling (to score), but I have always remained calm. I might have been more concerned about it in the past. But I am now more experienced," Dessers recounted.
"I know what I can do and I am sure I have my place in this league. Sure, I can say it now. But I expect that I will also show it.
“This was my dream. I have already played in a full Olimpico Stadium against Roma, met Inter at the San Siro and recently scored my first goal against a strong Napoli side.
"We lost 4-1, but I scored the equaliser. At least there was something to cheer."
Cremonese will go in search of their first Serie A win of the 2022/23 season when they host 20th-placed Sampdoria at the Stadio Giovanni Zini on Monday, October 24.