Cardoso expresses displeasure with Sundowns-Pirates Sunday match
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, Miguel Cardoso, has voiced his concerns regarding the Tshwane giants’ Betway Premiership encounter against Orlando Pirates, set for Sunday.
Pirates and Sundowns are set to meet for the second time in just a few weeks in what could be a title-deciding clash at FNB Stadium in Soweto. The Brazilians currently lead the league with an 18-point advantage over second-placed Pirates as the 2024/25 season approaches its final stages.
Masandawana are at the top of the table with 58 points from 22 matches, while the Buccaneers have secured 40 points after playing 18 games. If Pirates win all four of their games in hand, they can narrow the gap to just six points.
Sundowns are coming to this highly-anticipated match, having won their previous league match 2-0 against AmaZulu FC at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Soweto giants failed to collect maximum points after playing to a goalless draw against Stellenbosch FC at Athlone Stadium on Wednesday.
In the first round fixture between the two sides, Sundowns hammered Pirates 4-1 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, making the return leg an interesting one as the Jose Riveiro-coached team will be looking for revenge.
WHY IS MIGUEL CARDOSO UNHAPPY WITH SUNDAY MATCHUP FOR SUNDOWNS AND PIRATES?
Cardoso has questioned the decision to schedule Sundowns and Pirates to play on Sunday, emphasising that it does not provide enough time to rest for his players selected for Bafana Bafana before reporting for camp.
The Chloorkop-based outfit has Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Mothobi Mvala, Grant Kekana, Teboho Mokoena, Bathusi Aubaas, Jayden Adams, and Iqraam Rayners selected for the national team to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin later this month.
“It’s an incredible pleasure for the club, myself and the whole staff that we have such a big number of players in the national team. That’s what we work for, and I’m happy that we also have players in the Under-20 national team, and also we had another player in the CHAN [squad],” Cardoso said.
“So that is a clear indication of our work because our players are self-promoted individually at a level that allows them to be called up and represent South Africa. Obviously, this comes with an impact, and an impact of this is that we’re going to play the CAF Champions League and Nedbank Cup, and we have to cope with the fact that if those players play in the two matches for Bafana Bafana, we have to take care of them. We cannot now tell the national team coach [Hugo Broos] not to select our players because we feel proud that they’re are there.”
CARDOSO SAYS PLAYERS ARE NOT MACHINES
“For example, it’s not good that this match was put on Sunday because the players will go to the national team immediately after the match. Players will not even have one day to rest, that’s why the match should have been played on Saturday so that the players can be respected in terms of how they have to rest and play at a good level for the national team.
“Football players are not machines; they are human beings that have families, social life and their physicality that should be respected. And sometimes we demand performance from players when they are dying, even when they are not capable of performing at the best level.”
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