MC Alger coach Rulani Mokwena has addressed the fitness situation in his camp as they prepare to face Mamelodi Sundowns in a CAF Champions League match at Ali La Pointe Stadium on Friday.
The two sides clash after experiencing contrasting fortunes in their Group C openers last week. MC Alger fell to 2-1 Al Hilal in what was Mokwena’s first-ever defeat while in charge of the Algerian giants.
It was a result which left MC Alger under pressure to pick themselves up, as the former Orlando Pirates coach would want to avoid a second consecutive loss. But as the Ligue 1 champions try to dust themselves from the Al Hilal setback, they have lost central defender Ayoub Ghezala to injury.
Mokwena, however, still found humour while faced with a situation that forces him to make adjustments in setting up his backline.
MOKWENA NOT MAKING EXCUSES AMID MC ALGER’S FITNESS SITUATION
“I have already asked [MC Alger goalkeeper Alexis] Guendouz to train as a centre-back in the past few days. I’m joking,” Mokwena said.
“But listen, since I’ve been here, fortunately or unfortunately, I don’t know how you want to look at it. We have never had all our players available ever since day one. Whether it’s through suspension to national team responsibilities for some, to injuries.
“Very important players like Ghezala, Marwane Khelif, [Mohamed] Zougrana, [Mohamed] Bangoura. Never ever have you heard me complain, not even once.
“So, it’s a situation which we have to find solutions for. We had a similar situation before, but in this moment we have to try and see.
“If we use Rostom [Dendaoui], Khelif, [Mohamed] Benkhemassa at centre-back, these are the possible options. We will see. But we have a squad, we are a big team, we have no excuses.”
But their opponents, Sundowns, arrived in Algeria keen on building on the 3-1 victory over FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo at Loftus Versfeld.
The last time Sundowns were in Algeria was during the 2022/23 season when they beat CR Belouizdad 4-1 in the group stage this competition. They are now back in the North African country as last season’s runner-up.
Mokwena is, however, not picking anything out of the ordinary in facing such opponents, especially as his former team some of whose players he knows well.
MOKWENA NOT TREATING SUNDOWNS MATCH AS A PERCULIAR ASSIGNMENT
“We prepare like any other normal game. Firstly, we had to recover from the difficult trip to Rwanda [where they faced Al Hilal] and then an analysis of our performance against Al Hilal,” the ex-Masandawana coach stated.
“Then we started our preparations like normal, for any other opposition. Trying to have enough information, not too much but enough information for the players to be able to play the match.
“So, nothing special. It’s a Champions League game, of course, a difficult Champions League game. All games in the Champions League are difficult.”
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