Cardoso On CAFCL QF Draw: I Didn’t Want To Face Pirates
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says he didn’t want his side to face fellow South African club Orlando Pirates in the CAF Champions League quarterfinals and explained the reason why he wanted to avoid the Soweto giants.
An all-South African quarterfinals clash was on the cards in Africa’s elite club competition after Masandawana finished Group B as runners-up to AS FAR of Morocco, whereas the Buccaneers topped Group C ahead of Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
The two sides avoided each other after the draw conducted in Doha on Thursday, pitted Sundowns against Tunisian powerhouse Esperance de Tunis. On the other hand, Pirates will take on Algerian champions MC Alger.
The 52-year-old tactician is set for an emotional return to Tunis, a team he knows very well, having knocked out Sundowns in the semifinals in charge of the Taraji last season. Cardoso is upbeat about their chances of sending his former team packing.
“I think we got a strong team, but we are also a very strong team, so we have a very good two quarterfinal matches ahead of us and details will define the outcomes of the games. Hopefully, we can arrive in that moment in the best shape with the best players available,” he said.
“We need to be aware of the difficulties but I’m also aware of our capacity to overcome the opponents and to reach the next round which is our objective. We know what we are going to focus on in that moment.”
While the ex-Esperance mentor is pleased about avoiding Jose Riveiro’s team to make the competition more interesting, he acknowledges that the other two opponents also present a strong stumbling block in his team’s quest for a semifinal spot.
“I think it was clear that all the three teams we could have picked were very strong. I didn’t want to play Pirates because I think it’s much more beautiful for the competition that we don’t have a national game, but we make it internationally,” Cardoso added.
“So basically, there were two teams, Esperance or Al Hilal and both of them [are] different teams but both of them [are] strong. Al Hilal made an unbelievable qualification, they just lost points in the last match, Esperance also made a good qualification.”
The Portuguese gaffer went on to back Pirates to go all the way to the penultimate match of the Champions League, expressing his desire to play the Sea Robbers in the final of the competition – an occasion he believes would be good for the image of the PSL.
“It’s obvious that in this kind of international competition, you should expect South African teams to do well, so I expect that Pirates can make a good way [progression] and why not face each other in the final, that would be fantastic for South African football,” the Downs coach continued.
“I remember I played a Europa League final against Porto when I was in Braga, so it would be amazing to have a final with two South African teams. Let’s work hard so that we can arrive at that moment, why not play the final together.”
