Esperance defender Mohamed Drager has given a measured praise of Mamelodi Sundowns, acknowledging their continental status but stopping short of overhyping them.
The remarks come ahead of the Tunisian giants meeting Sundowns in a CAF Champions League semi-final, second leg encounter at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday. Esperance are on a mission to cause an upset in Tshwane by overturning the 1-0 defeat they suffered in Rades last Sunday.
A place in the final of Africa’s premier club competition is at stake. While Esperance are four-time African champions and bidding for a fifth star on their badge, they are up against Sundowns, who have clinched this continental title just once.
Since winning the Champions League a decade ago, Sundowns have endured heartbreaks in the latter stages of this competition, especially last season when they were the losing finalists to champions Pyramids FC. That gives them pressure to knock out a continental heavyweight like Esperance, whom they eliminated from this tournament at the quarter-final stage last season.
While the Barazilians’ continental credentials are less glowing than Esperance’s, Drager has opted to go diplomatic.
ESPERANCE DEFENDER KEEPS COOL TONE ON SUNDOWNS
“It’s a big team, especially at home, like a big force, a very dynamic team, a very tactically and technically very prepared team by the coach and the whole staff. So yeah, it’s a semi-final of the Champions League,” said Drager.
“Everyone who is facing each other now is facing basically one of the monsters in Africa. It’s [Sundowns] a monster of Africa, not the monster. We face a monster of Africa.
“I was also surprised that like almost 90 per cent of the Sundowns team play together in the national team [Bafana Bafana]. Of course, it’s a big advantage to them. But it’s also nice to see that the national team is choosing local players. At the end of the day, they are doing well at Sundowns, even in the national team.
“So, yes, as I said, we are facing a monster of Africa. Not the monster, but for sure a respectable big team,” concluded the Germany-born Tunisia international.
RELATED STORY: Cupido speaks on Kekana blow for Sundowns’ Esperance test