Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has explained how his charges plan to deal with FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo’s dark arts in the CAF Champions League.
The Brazilians will welcome Lupopo to the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday in the first match of the group stages in the 2025/26 Champions League season. Sundowns advanced to the group stages with a dominant 7-1 victory over Remo Stars in two legs of the second preliminary round.
Masandawana are aiming to take their chase for the Champions League a notch higher after losing out in the final against Pyramids FC last season. The prestigious continental tournament has been elusive for the Tshwane giants, having lifted the trophy in 2016 under the guidance of Pitso Mosimane.
Sundowns will be looking to make a great impression in the first match of the group stages at home with a tough encounter against Lupopo. The DRC side made it to the group stages after upsetting Sundowns’ rivals, Orlando Pirates, on penalties after the match ended 3-3 in both thd first and second leg.
In a match against Pirates, Lupopo displayed antics that subsequently saw the club defender Dieumerci Mukoko Amale handed a two-match suspension from CAF matches for his misconduct on the pitch.
WHAT CARDOSO SAID ABOUT LUPOPO ANTICS
Cardoso has revealed that the emotional intelligence of his players will be important to control any possible outcome against the infamous FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo.
“We always try a big effort to make the players understand that any emotion that you may leave that is not proper to play a football match, it should be left in the locker room,” Cardoso said.
“And whatever happens inside the pitch, we have to manage it emotionally in the right way with the players. You remember last year when we played at home against Esperance, there was a clash between players, and I was so aggressive taking the players from that mix of players.
“I always want to keep their minds focused on behaviours and some emotions that are negative. I don’t believe that in the group stages, the things that are not normal will happen, the match will be a football match, and only a football match. That’s how my players will think about it.”
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