Nigerian striker Cyriel Dessers will miss Panathinaikos’ Greek Cup clash against Aris Thessaloniki on Wednesday, October 28. The club left the forward out of its 24-man squad ahead of the encounter, Bold Sports reports.
Dessers has scored nine goals in 14 appearances across competitions this season. He also scored in Panathinaikos’ 1-0 victory over Volos NFC on Sunday, October 25. His latest goal took his tally to three in the Greek Super League. He has also scored six times in the UEFA Conference League.
Panathinaikos manage Dessers’ workload
Head coach Jacob Neestrup has opted to rest the Nigerian international. The decision comes as Panathinaikos prepare for a busy run of fixtures.
Dessers recently returned from an injury that disrupted his campaign earlier this season. The setback forced him to miss the club’s first three UEFA Conference League qualifying matches.
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However, his latest omission does not indicate a fresh injury concern. Instead, the coaching staff appear keen to manage his workload and preserve his fitness.
Panathinaikos have also left Stefan de Vrij and Davide Calabria out of the squad. The club reportedly wants all three players fresh for Sunday’s league meeting with AEK Athens.
Dessers’ absence removes one of the team’s leading goalscorers from Wednesday’s selection. His nine goals across competitions highlight his contribution to the club’s attacking efforts this season.
Dele-Bashiru eyes opportunity for Aris
Meanwhile, Nigerian midfielder Tom Dele-Bashiru could feature for Aris Thessaloniki in the Greek Cup encounter.
The former Manchester City youth player has struggled to secure a starting place recently. He has not started a match for Aris since their Greek Cup fixture against Marko on September 16.
Wednesday’s contest therefore offers another opportunity for the midfielder to push for greater involvement.
Panathinaikos enter the fixture after beating Volos NFC 1-0 in their latest league outing. They will now turn their attention to the cup competition before returning to league action against AEK Athens.
For Dessers, the immediate priority will be maintaining his fitness ahead of the upcoming fixtures. The Nigerian striker will hope to continue his impressive goalscoring return when he resumes action.
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