Cardoso: Pirates Clash Not Title Decider
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says their highly anticipated epic showdown against title challengers Orlando Pirates at the FNB Stadium on Sunday is not a title-deciding match despite retaining a healthy lead at the summit.
The defending champions won the first meeting with a commanding 4-1 victory in the capital last month. Masandawana head into the encounter with an 18-point gap after accumulating 55 points in 22 league outings, while second-placed Buccaneers picked up 39 points, with four games in hand.
However, the Downs mentor downplayed the significance of clinching maximum points in the clash, which could set the tone for the remainder of the season and all but confirm a record extending eighth consecutive league title.
“How I see the championship from the very first moment I arrived here is that this is a championship where teams can lose points any game. You can lose points at home against any opponents, and you can lose points away against any opponents,” said Cardoso.
“So, whatever happens in this match, believe me the approach I will have will be the same one I’ve been having until now, with the big responsibility for the next match after this one [against Pirates] because it will always be three points in question.
“And if people don’t think about the next match, then you can be in trouble. I have to be very serious on the approach we do on this PSL – very serious.”
While his charges are in pole position to win the Betway Premiership, Cardoso highlighted the challenges he faced since taking over at the Chloorkop-based outfit, that’s competing on all fronts with games coming thick and fast.
“It’s been quite challenging to keep this [winning] mentality because with such a schedule, it’s mentally difficult to always be on the right focus to approach every match. It’s also been quite challenging to understand which other players are in the best conditions to play,” he added.
“And also, it’s been challenging to know which ones cannot really line up so that they can rest to have the capacity to resist the fact that they might be injured. I think we are doing well in terms of that management and we’re still going to continue on that one.”
Despite not getting ahead of himself in the title race, the 52-year-old Portuguese tactician has set his sights on being crowned champion of South Africa, including other competitions they’re in contention for with the business end of the 2024/25 campaign slowly approaching.
“What we want is to arrive in the last part of the season being able to compete in all the competitions, that’s our objective and for that we need to always focus on the next game because we also have to play the Nedbank Cup out of the schedule that was eventually planned. So, it will address new challenges for us,” continued Cardoso.
“Then we have the Champions League, let’s hope we make a good way, strong opponent to play in the quarterfinals and take this championship to the last stages where I hope we will be in good position to win it and that’s with big respect for everybody we have to continue our way.”
