Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has explained why Lebo Mothiba has struggled to make the matchday squad since joining the Tshwane giants.
Having spent time with the squad, Bafana Bafana striker’s move to Sundowns was formalised by the club in an official announcement made in March.
The 29-year-old has not played a match since December 2023 when he featured for French side Strasbourg FC. Mothiba joined Masandawana with an injury but was expected to recover before the end of the season.
Speaking after Sundowns’ 2-0 win against Cape Town City FC on Saturday evening, Cardoso issued an update on Mothiba and remained optimistic that the striker could get a few minutes before the end of the campaign.
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“Since he joined us, he has had small setbacks but nothing to do with the injury he had [before joining Sundowns],” said Cardoso.
“It’s a player that we need to treat like a crystal, very carefully. But we are willing to do it and a lot. He is a wonderful person and human being. We are happy to have him amongst us. But we need to give him all the conditions so that he can recover and help us in the future.
“But I still have expectations that he can play for us before the end of the championship. For you to understand, yesterday [Friday], the players that were not with us made a joint training session with the Diski Challenge team, and he played 15 minutes in that match, free, without conditioning.”
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“I hope so [he can play a part this season]. I really hope so,” added Cardoso. “Mothiba is a high-quality player who, unfortunately, comes from a long period of absence and non-competition. [He comes] from a big injury and a long period of recovery.
“We are patient, and he is also patient. He is also anxious, and we are also anxious, but we know what we have to do and we are going to do it right, so that he can join us in the future.”
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