Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef has launched a blistering attack on the PSL, accusing the league of failing to support South African clubs competing on the continent, citing a blatant lack of consideration for teams flying the Mzansi flag in CAF competitions.
Ben Youssef didn’t hold back in his assessment of Amakhosi’s congested fixture list as they are juggling domestic duties and a demanding CAF Confederation Cup campaign. He warned that the current “fly-in, fly-out” situation is pushing his squad to a breaking point.
In the 2025/26 season, Chiefs have played over 25 games across all competitions, as per the statistics by Transfermarkt. But the biggest concern from Ben Youssef isn’t just the fatigue, but the total absence of tactical preparation. According to the coach, the relentless cycle of travel and recovery has effectively brought their time on the training pitch to an end.
He was speaking after Amakhosi’s 2-1 win over Al Masry of Egypt in their CAF Confederation Cup tie at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday afternoon. With the win, Chiefs jumped to the summit of Group D and now need just one more point from their final fixture away to Zamalek SC to guarantee qualification for the knockout rounds.
KHALIL BEN YOUSSEF RAISES CONCERNS OVER FIXTURE CONGESTION
Ben Youssef slammed the PSL’s scheduling, arguing Chiefs haven’t been given enough recovery time amid their CAF Confed Cup commitments. He went on to state that the heavy workload has caused casualties within his team in Inacio Miguel, who was sidelined due to the physical strain of “playing too many games.”
This leaves Amakhosi in a worrisome position heading into their high-stakes clash against Egyptian giants Zamalek. With Miguel out, the club is down to just two fit centre-backs: Zitha Kwinika and Given Msimango.
“We have the same problem [fixture congestion]. The team played about five games in a row. We are in a situation where we are flying back today and flying out tomorrow for another match. So, we don’t have time to prepare for games and for training sessions. Our players have now gone two to three weeks without any training sessions,” said a frustrated Ben Youssef.
“You play a game today and rest; tomorrow is recovery, and on matchday minus one, you cannot do anything. Even when you prepare for a fixture, you have to think about the players. We are in a situation where we are playing in this competition [CAF Confederation Cup] and have played all our PSL matches. I remember last season, many teams that were playing in the CAF Champions League or cup games [the PSL] changed their fixtures to accommodate them. They continued their last five games [remaining matches] in May.”
‘KAIZER CHIEFS IS REPRESENTING SOUTH AFRICA’: KHALIL BEN YOUSSEF
Chiefs’ co-coach added: “Now, we are playing in CAF, and we have played almost all our games. However, different teams have not played anything and have about three games in hand. I think Kaizer Chiefs is representing South Africa, so we have to think about the team. We need to consider how we manage the team. Sometimes, we have to find solutions for ourselves. You give us two months without competitions, and when we come back, we play every game. How can we deal with that? We have games outside, travelling, and all that. We are at a big risk of injuries to our players. Therefore, we have to make rotations.
“Despite these rotations, we lost Inacio Miguel; he got injured because of playing too many games. We will play our next game against Zamalek in Egypt, and we only have Zitha Kwinika and Given Msimango as centre-backs. It’s not an excuse, but it’s the reality. If you [PSL] want to improve and see us win, you have to help us because we are also representing South Africa.
“I mean, some teams in May played their last five or six games, but this season we have played 15 games. I know that team; I just don’t want to mention names. They have played about 13 games, and they are not playing anything [not participating in CAF inter-club competition]. In all the countries I have worked in, when you play CAF games, it is allowed for you to change the fixtures.”
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