Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has responded to questions on what would happen if the Brazilians fail to make it past the group stages ahead of their crucial CAF Champions League clash against FAR Rabat at Loftus Stadium on Sunday (18:00).

The Tshwane giants have endured a tough campaign on the continent this season, coming off the back of a last-gasp win against AS Maniema Union in DRC – a result that put them in a much better position as they look to book their quarterfinals spot in the last game of Group B.

They are currently in second place with eight points accumulated, one behind their already-qualified opponents, who top the group. Masandawana needs to avoid defeat to secure passage to the next round of the competition, having played out to a 1-1 stalemate in Rabat.

While the South African champions are expected to get the job done, there have been question marks on the future of the club under Cardoso if they fail to secure their ticket to the knockout stages, prompting the Downs mentor to address the concerns.   

“That’s basically the first time I think about it [not qualifying] now that you [media] highlighted it, I don’t even think about negative results. If you have fear in football and in life, it’s normal that you accept fear because it’s natural for everybody to have fear when they face challenges,” he said.

The 52-year-old went on to highlight the advantage of fear, stating that it serves as a reminder of what’s at stake. The Portuguese tactician also revealed how he keeps his players motivated in these high-profile encounters.

“But as much as you deal with the fear, the best would be to prepare for it. So, fear is not wrong because fear makes you aware and conscious of what’s about to happen and what you have to do,” Cardoso added.

“But I always tell the players, ‘If you knew you could not lose, what would you do? That’s how you have to play, if you knew what you have to do to ensure that you don’t lose, how would you play? So go out there and play because that’s the only way to do it”.

It remains to be seen whether Cardoso’s men can get over the line with Raja Casablanca still in contention for a spot in the last eight and will be ready to pounce on any slip-up provided they overcome Maniema with a three-goal cushion. Orlando Pirates has already booked their spot in the last eight, signalling with a big win over Al Ahly in Cairo on Saturday to finish on top Group C.