Quadri delighted to help Sporting CP win 37th title

.Sends farewell message to Portuguese club

By Akeem Lawal

NIGERIA Table Tennis legend, Aruna Quadri, is in cloud nine after helping Sporting CP to win their 37th national title in his final season with the Portuguese club, Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports.

Quadri, who will be joining German side, TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell for the 2020/2021 season, was in top form for Sporting CP with another Nigerian, Bode Abiodun on Sunday as they won their record fifth championship trophy in a row after beating GD Toledos 3-0 in the 2nd leg of the final held at the High-Performance Center of Vila Nova de Gaia. This was a repeat of the same margin in the first leg on Saturday, July 4.

The Lisbon-based team dominated the National Championship, having finished the regular phase with 18 wins in 18 games and by losing only five sets. The “lions” reached 70 points, 22 more than GD Toledos, second place.

Speaking after the game, Quadri said, “It was a very difficult game, Diogo Silva is a player with a lot of talent. We played together for four years and it is always difficult to play against him. After ten years in Portugal, it was time to leave for a championship with another level. I was very happy here, Portugal for me is almost the same as Nigeria and I will continue to live in Portugal because I have a family here. I will train a few times at Sporting for the year.”

Also in a farewell message to Sporting CP through his social media handles, the top player in Africa, who joined the team in 2016 from GD Toledos, expressed his appreciation to the team’s doctors, president, physiotherapists, teammates, coaches and club fans and supporters for their unlimited support during his stay in Portugal.

“One more time, we are champions of Portugal. After good 5 years playing for @sportingclubedeportugal @sportingmodalidades, yesterday was my last match with the club and very happy with my stay with the club.

“I want to say thanks to doctors, president, physiotherapists, teammates, coaches and club fans and supporters from sporting clude de Portugal for the unlimited support.

“Portugal thank you for everything, for me Portugal is home away from home and Portugal gives me everything. #sportingsempre #sportingatemorrer @ Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal,” he said on his Facebook page.

After more than a decade plying his trade in the Portuguese League where he has established himself as the number one player, Quadri will in September start a new chapter in his illustrious career when he wears the colours of TC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell. He will be the only African competing in the top division of the German Bundesliga league.