JOHOR BAHRU, 3 Oct – His deadly left foot saw him score a brace in Johor Darul Takzim’s (JDT) 4-2 win over Sabah in the last home match at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Friday and the seventh successive Super League title for the Southern Tigers.
Hours later, the 23-year-old from Dungun, Terengganu bade an emotional farewell to club owner, His Royal Highness Brigadier General Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim with high hopes of taking his football career to new heights.
JDT’s prized possession and a national asset is embarking on a possible football career in Europe.
He will be on loan to join Portugal’s Primeira Liga side Portimonense S.C and hopes to break into the big-time league with the Portuguese club.
There were more emotions at the KLIA when he bade farewell to his family and friends before boarding a midnight flight to Portugal on Saturday.
“It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to further my football career. I hope to make good and do my (football) career good. Hopefully, my left foot will not desert me,” said the striker who kept his emotions in check for the media interview.
The skillful Safawi has already made a name for himself in this region and has received rave reports on his football skills.
Football pundits believe that Europe is the right place for Safawi to take his football skills, maturity, and experience a notch higher.
“I am going on loan to Portimonense for one season. The rest is left to be seen but I hope to make the best of this opportunity given to me. It could be the beginning of my ‘new’ career in the game.”
With the Super League title already in the bag, the Malaysian football kingpins are strong favorites to win the Malaysia Cup.
JDT has stamped their authority and showed they are the “untouchables” in the league and complete their curtailed league fixtures with an away match against Melaka United on Oct 10.
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