Cardoso Discusses Sundowns’ Fixture Congestion

Mamelodi Sundowns coach, Miguel Cardoso, was chuffed as his side had enough days of preparation amid the packed fixture schedule and upcoming international break.

Downs have played 13 games in two months, the most of any team in South Africa, alongside Orlando Pirates.

“I was training the boys. I was telling the boys, fantastic, that we have three days to prepare for a match. Usually, we prepare a match in one day,” said Cardoso.

This Saturday’s fixture against Marumo Gallants at Lucas Moripe Stadium [20:00] will be Sundowns’ last game before the October international break, and their third in eleven days.

Sundowns have nine players who have been called up to represent their respective countries for the latest round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers, on top of the five players that are currently at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile.

The Portuguese tactician has also given an insight into his side’s dynamics, as he works with a depleted squad.

“It means that our effective squad in the next week will be very small, and then we have basically to prepare the CAF Champions League qualifying round for the group stage of the Champions League,” said Cardoso.

The Tshwane-based outfit must contend with the FIFA break, a two-legged tie against Nigerian side Remo Stars, in the Champions League Secondary preliminary round, and an away clash with Sekhukhune United, all before the end of October.

“But we are here to deal with solutions, not with problems. We have to do the best possible to understand the context,” added Cardoso.

The Sundowns mentor will be hoping that he and his troops can mount a powerful charge towards clinching everything on offer this season.