Former Abuja Football College player Mario Rabiu, who plays as a defensive midfielder for Albanian club Skënderbeu is upbeat about bursting onto the limelight of European football soon, hoping to help his club achieve the best this season, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The 24-year-old is currently in his second season with Skënderbeu, where he has scored one goal in 12 appearances this season.
Although the eight-time Albanian champions, who finished third last season, are still struggling to reach their best this term, sitting eighth in the 10-team league, Rabiu remains optimistic that the campaign will end well for them.
“The season has been good so far in ways I didn’t expect; this is my second season in this beautiful city, and the atmosphere has always been good,” the player said.
“It has not been an easy situation for the club currently because we don’t deserve to be in this position; collectively, we are trying our best every day to go further up on the table; with more sacrifice and determination, it’s going to happen,” he added.
After joining the club from Serie C club Viterbsese, he scored his first goal for them in August and believes more will come to propel his career.
“I’ve been expecting at least one from last season, and now it came finally, and I hope for some more. Playing in the top five leagues has always been a goal to reach. By working day by day, improving more, and displaying good form on the field of play, I believe things are going to go the right way,” he said.
Rabiu has only missed one out of 13 Skënderbeu’s league games this season due to suspension, and he has played all but five minutes in the remaining 12.
He will be in action after the international break when they host Dinamo Tirana.