The decision by the PSL to grant Mamelodi Sundowns permission to utilise the Lucas Moripe Stadium has left neighbours SuperSport United raising eyebrows.
The stadium in Pretoria is home to ‘Matsatsantsa’ while their crosstown rivals, Sundowns, use the facility as an alternative.
Sundowns’ current home ground at Loftus Versfeld is undergoing renovations which could take up to two months. They have been forced to look for a temporary solution with FNB and Mbombela stadiums as some of the venues the club was considering.
This is due to the fact that the Lucas Moripe Stadium has also been going through renovations. It was banned from hosting matches in March 2023 after failing to meet the PSL requirements.
The renovations also meant SuperSport had to look for an alternative. They played their last few matches of last season at TUT and Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
The club now have an arrangement with the Polokwane municipality to host the majority of their 2023/24 home matches at Peter Mokaba while renovations are continuing at Lucas Moripe.
SUPERSPORT UNITED COACH UNHAPPY WITH PSL DECISION?
The PSL announced on Friday that Sundowns will now be playing at Atteridgeville, including the much-anticipated Premiership clash against Kaizer Chiefs on Wednesday, much to the surprise of United coach Gavin Hunt.
“It’s disappointing because I saw yesterday [Friday] the announcement that Chiefs will play Sundowns [at Lucas Moripe],” said Hunt.
“I mean, that’s the biggest crowd you will have at Lucas Moripe, and we couldn’t play there. Anyway, I don’t [want to talk about it]. I just don’t know how these things work, you know,” Hunt said when asked on Saturday.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS RELIEVED TO BE AT LUCAS MORIPE STADIUM
Meanwhile, Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena although they would have preferred the FNB, they are happy to remain closer to their support base.
“We tried to use FNB, which was a field that we think would suit us a lot better than Lucas. But it is what it is, we just need to settle down for the next two months.
“We will do the best that we can to adapt and calamities to Lucas,” said Mokwena after the 2-1 win over Sekhukhune United on Friday in a DStv Premiership game.
The DStv Premiership clash between Sundowns and Chiefs at Lucas Moripe on Wednesday starts at 15:00.
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