Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena has explained what the club learned from their past CAF Champions League failures as they begin their 2022/23 continental football campaign against Seychelles outfit La Passe.
Mokwena, who insists Sundowns’ goal is to win the Champions League, says you underestimate an opponent in Africa’s premium club competition at your peril.
Sundowns were knocked out by Angola’s Petro de Luanda in the quarterfinals of the Champions League last season, and Mokwena, like everyone else within the football circle, deemed the defeat as a failure as the Tshwane giants were favourites to go through.
MOKWENA ON CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
“We learned a lot because what matters in football is not to think about the losses but the lessons that come in the process,” Mokwena told the media at Chloorkop.
“When we reached the quarterfinal last season, everyone said, let’s get Petro and football being football shows you that no one is entitled to results.
“You have to take every match as professional as you can and invest the same amount of hours into a game as you would to a game of Chiefs, Pirates and Al Ahly.”
Since winning the Champions League in 2016 by beating Egyptian giants Zamalek, Sundowns are yet to reach the final. They reached the semifinal in the 2018/19 season, losing to Wydad Casablanca.
In order to mount a serious challenge for the 2022/23 Champions League title, Sundowns made several new top signings to add to their already star-studded side.
They welcomed Abubeker Nasir, Ronwen Williams, Sipho Mbule, Marcelo Allende, Abdelmounaim Boutouil, Terrence Mashego and the return of Bongani Zungu.
Sundowns will take on La Passe at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Sunday’s first leg of the second preliminary round.
CAN DOWNS WIN THE 2022/23 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE?
“The aim and drive have always been to go all the way [in the Champions League]; that’s the focus of the club for sure,” added Mokwena.
“And that’s why even from a personal perspective, when we don’t get anywhere close to that, for me, it is a failure.
“We will give it a go again and try our level best to win matches at that level so that at the end of the season, we win that trophy.
“But the game of football is unpredictable and can amaze you, and in the Champions League, you need a bit of luck to go beyond the semifinal and be in the final. But we have to generate our own luck and put ourselves in a position to win the competition.
“Competitions like the Champions League are not won when you play the semifinal or the final; matches of consequence are won first day of pre-season, first league match of the season, where you build good winning habits and competitive mentality.
“And then you are on your knees asking God to grant the team enough strength and wisdom and the capacity to be able to withstand the challenges of the season,” concluded the Sundowns co-coach.
