Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi is confident of masterminding a win when his charges lock horns against Mamelodi Sundowns in their much-anticipated blockbuster clash at FNB Stadium on Saturday (15:00). 

In a top-of-the-table affair, which has been sold out, the two teams head into the match with a hundred percent win record after winning their first two league games, which placed the reigning champions in familiar territory at the summit of the log standings while Chiefs is in third place.

The Tunisian mentor has expressed immense confidence in claiming the maximum points against the Brazilians but insists that not having ample time to prepare for the match compared to their opponents is a slight disadvantage. 

“Facing Sundowns is a pleasure for each coach, I think we will be the winners,” Nabi said. “But most important is to offer a great game after that result [against AmaZulu]. 

“Yes, I agree [Sundowns is a different test], maybe the only negative thing is that I don’t have enough time to prepare for this game, this is my problem honestly because we couldn’t prepare for the Sundowns game before we could face AmaZulu, this is not professional. 

“I have two days [to prepare], I don’t have three days, but no worries, we will give our all, 100% and maximum effort. I have my ideas on the tactical approach, but I’m not negative. I have confidence in my players, I have seen them, and I know them, but inshallah we win.” 

Nabi, who won back-to-back trebles with Young Africans, including runners-up finish in the 2022/23 CAF Confederations Cup, before leading AS FAR Rabat to a runners-up spot in the Botola Pro and the Throne Cup, also took time to appreciate the love from Amakhosi’s 12th-man. 

“First, I’d like to thank all the fans. If the fans love Kaizer Chiefs, they automatically love Nabi,” he said. 

“I want to give great respect to all the coaches who worked with Kaizer Chiefs in the past, sometimes the coach can succeed, sometimes not, this is football. 

“But for myself, I don’t have to prove anything, I’m honest. Maybe the fans see the honesty in my personality, I have a big passion, maybe they appreciate this personality, maybe they know me from Tanzania and Morocco. 

“I got a huge opportunity to coach this big club, and my dream is for us to achieve our objectives, if I do that, maybe I will retire here at Kaizer Chiefs.’ 

The Soweto giants have played in sold-out stadiums in their first two encounters, with the third one also being played in front of 85000 full house, the Chiefs coach says he wants to reward the supporters with good football. 

“For that, I want to propose the protagonist football, lovely football,” said Nabi. 

“I think at a club like Kaizer Chiefs with big DNA, if you produce good football with results the fans come back, I need the fans, all the players need the fans honestly in good and bad moments. 

“But I promise the fans that step by step we will propose very beautiful football because honestly, I am not happy, I have only seen 20% of what I envision Kaizer Chiefs to be in the future.”