Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has shared his thoughts on what appears to be a promising partnership between two Portuguese midfielders, Nuno Santos and Miguel Reisinho, at the Tshwane giants.
Signed during the last PSL transfer window, the duo has settled at Chloorkop and is making an impact. They also appear to have already adjusted to the African game outside the PSL.
Nuno Santos grabbed a brace and provided an assist during Saturday’s CAF Champions League Group C 3-1 victory over FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo at Loftus Versfeld. It was a match in which Reisinho was also the supplier for Nuno Santos’ first goal.
To highlight how Nuno Santos has been valuable for Sundowns in Africa, he has three goals and two assists in three Champions League appearances. Reisinho has a goal and an assist in three games on the continent.
WHAT CARDOSO THINKS ABOUT THE NUNO SANTOS-REISINHO COMBO
The two compatriots have been combining well in midfield, but Cardoso has refused to hype their partnership.
“Regarding the understanding between Nuno and Reisinho, Arthur [Sales] and Teboho[ Mokoena], it’s normal that they are friends; they are a family. For sure, they share moments,” Cardoso said.
“Of course, that relationship helps inside the pitch, it helps on a daily basis, but a relationship is established towards the behaviour that we want on the pitch. That came not from a personal understanding between Nuno and Reisinho, but from a collective work that the team did, and they interpreted it so well. What is important is that when the boys enter the pitch, they get committed to the game plan that we have.
“We work hard to try and provoke them, to bring them the resources, the tools to face different matches and the particulars that every opponent has. They just need to have that moment, the belief to interpret it, because we have the quality.”
After the departure of Lucas Ribeiro Costa earlier this season, there were concerns that Masandawana might struggle to replace the Brazilian attacker. Ribeiro left against the backdrop of being crowned the PSL Footballer of the Season last term.
But the Portuguese signings appear to have filled in the void left by the now Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa star.
HAVE SUNDOWNS FOUND THE RIGHT MAN TO REPLACE RIBEIRO?
Cardoso is again modest in responding to whether Nuno Santos and Reisinho have helped Sundowns move on without Ribeiro.
“I don’t like to individualise performances too much because I think that we have inside the club players that could indeed rise and not substitute [Ribeiro] because we don’t expect to substitute anyone but bring quality [to the squad]. Basically we as coaches depend on quality,” Cardoso added.
“When you have quality, it’s easier; when you don’t have it, it’s more difficult. Unfortunately, this season we have been suffering more difficult times, not due to a lack of players but because they got injured; we are dealing with a season of traumatic injuries.”
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