Rulani Mokwena has slammed Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso for “disrespectful” conduct and a “clear provocation” following his side’s CAF Champions League exit.
Mokwena’s MC Alger suffered a 2-0 defeat against Sundowns in the final match of the group stages, marking the end of the road for the Algerian giants in the competition.
The former Wydad Athletic Club and Orlando Pirates coach returned to Loftus Stadium for the first time since parting ways with Sundowns at the end of the 2023/24 Betway Premiership season.
In the emotional return against his former employers, Mokwena endured a tough battle with the Brazilians, who displayed an enterprising brand of football.
Sundowns netted one goal in each half of the match through Brayan Leon to collect maximum points, which saw them finish second in Group C of the Champions League to qualify for the knockout stages.
In a fierce encounter between Sundowns and Alger, both sets of players and benches were involved in tensions that brought numerous stoppages to the match.
Meanwhile, Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso left his technical area and encroached on the MC Alger bench, an act that Mokwena labelled as disrespectful. The Portuguese tactician subsequently received a yellow card for the misconduct.
MOKWENA SLAMS ‘DISRESPECTFUL’ CARDOSO
“I don’t want to talk about things off the pitch, because if Rulani walks across the opposition’s technical area, I know how many people would make a hullabaloo of that situation,” Mokwena said.
“The laws of the game prohibit any technical member from leaving his technical area, going past the fourth official, and moving across the technical area of the other team.
“If that is not a clear sign of not only disrespecting the opposition, but a clear violation of not only CAF rules, but FIFA rules. This has nothing to do with me; that’s not my conduct, it’s a reflection on me.
“So this question [about the tensions on the bench] should be asked to the person who left his own area to go to the other technical area. You have to find the reasons why that person did that and provoked, because it’s a clear provocation. What is the aim of that? I don’t think you saw me moving towards them and being involved in handbags, no. You cannot say Rulani was misbehaving; it’s impossible.”
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