Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso admitted his players were suffering after their CAF Champions League final defeat, stating that “it is never nice to play the final and you don’t win”.

Sundowns lost the Champions League final, falling 2-1 to Pyramids in the second leg at the 30 June Stadium on Sunday, resulting in a 3-2 aggregate loss.

The first leg in Pretoria had ended in a 1-1 draw. The African giants struggled to find their rhythm in both matches of the final. Pyramids proved very dangerous on counter-attacks and from set-pieces, with their second goal on Sunday originating from a set-play.

“Our players were able to show good commitment, a good attitude, and good quality,” Cardoso said at the press conference after the match. “Guiding them to the final, as I said, I’m very proud. The feeling when you play a final and you don’t win is obviously bitter, disappointing.”

He added, “But as I said in the press conference before this match, the sensations that invade me are that I have a wonderful group of men in my locker room, and obviously, in this moment, they are suffering.”

Sundowns’ season is not over yet. The players will have a short break before heading to the United States of America to play in the FIFA Club World Cup. They will face Ulsan HD of Korea on 18 June. Three days later, they will face German giants Borussia Dortmund before concluding their group stage matches against Brazilian side Fluminense on 25 June.

“But they [my players] will get up as true champions that they are, as true human beings who are champions on a daily basis in their lives, the way they are committed in what they do. We will proceed on our way. We still have a lot to do,” said Cardoso.

“In this moment, what is important is that we go back and set new objectives, and we can repeat the opportunity of playing a Champions League final and be even better than we were.”

This marks the second consecutive season that Cardoso has lost the Champions League final. Last season, while in charge of Esperance, his team lost to record winners Al Ahly, whom Sundowns defeated in this season’s semi-final. It was also the second time that Sundowns, who won this competition in 2016, had lost the Champions League final, having previously done so in 2021, also against Egyptian side Al Ahly.