Uganda Cranes centre-back Elio Capradossi has wasted no time returning to club business, linking up with FC Universitatea Cluj for their mid-season preparations following his non involvement at the Africa Cup of Nations, despite being in camp.
The defender was part of Uganda’s AFCON squad but did not make an appearance during the group stage. While FUFA said it was due to injury, it was reliably informed that he led a strike for bonuses, which apparently had him fall out with the team honchos, who cut him from participating.
Capradossi has now shifted focus back to Romania, joining his teammates directly in Turkey as Cluj kick off an intensive winter training programme.
Universitatea Cluj have set up base in Antalya for a ten-day camp designed to sharpen the squad ahead of the SuperLiga restart. After a brief winter recess, the team regrouped and travelled on January 3 to the Sueno Deluxe Complex in Belek, where training sessions will be paired with a series of high-level test matches.
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Cluj are scheduled to face Turkish side Fatih Karagumruk on January 6, before taking on Dukla Prague on January 11 and Polish outfit Widzew Łódź a day later. Capradossi is among a group of experienced players who joined the camp late due to international commitments, and the sessions present an immediate opportunity for him to stake a claim for more consistent playing time.
With preparations intensifying, Cristiano Bergodi’s men will turn their attention to competitive football later this month.
Universitatea Cluj resume league action on January 18 with a demanding away fixture against Dinamo Bucharest, a match that will signal the true start of their push in the second half of the season.
