Miguel Cardoso’s future at Mamelodi Sundowns could be hanging in the balance as he heads into the decisive CAF Champions League final, second leg tie against AS FAR Rabat, after back-to-back heartbreaks.
Sundowns are in Morocco – Rabat for Sunday’s away fixture carrying a 1-0 slender advantage from the first leg, which was staged at Loftus Versfeld Stadium last weekend. They look to finish the job at Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium and clinch the continental crown they last won a decade ago under the guidance of Pitso Mosimane.
Needing just a draw to win, Sundowns seems to have the best chance of becoming African champions once again. They will also be out to atone for last season’s near-miss after they were defeated in the final by reigning champions Pyramids FC.
But for coach Miguel Cardoso, it is the third straight season reaching the Champions League final. He guided Esperance to the 2023/24 decider, and the Tunisian side lost to Al Ahly 1-0 on aggregate, with the Portuguese coach having eliminated Rulani Mokwena’s Sundowns in the semi-finals.
Cardoso was back in the final last season after joining Sundowns, and they lost 3-2 on aggregate to Pyramids. The former Celta Vigo tactician is hard-pressed to win and avoid another painful setback of a third successive term as a losing finalist.
Pressure on the coach also comes as Sundowns look likely to let slip their Betway Premiership lead, allowing Orlando Pirates to be crowned champions. If that happens, it would be a huge blemish on his CV, as Cardoso would become the first coach to surrender Masandawana’s eight-year PSL dominance.
Sundowns ending the season empty-handed could ring a death knell on Cardoso’s tenure at Chloorkop.
TEKO MODISE WEIGHS IN ON CARDOSO’S ULTIMATE SUNDOWNS MANDATE: ‘SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE’
Highlighting the immense stakes riding on this continental showpiece, legendary former Sundowns midfielder Teko Modise believes this final represents a defining moment for both the club’s modern generation and their under-fire coach.
Speaking on the Pitchside Podcast, the 2016 CAF Champions League winner emphasised that while the tournament remains Chloorkop’s holy grail, the psychological burden weighing on Cardoso ahead of a third consecutive final is reaching a boiling point.
“You look at all the grace we have. Your [Ronwen] Williams, your Zwanes, of course, Themba Zwane won it with Denis Onyango as well,” 2016 Champions League-winner Teko Modise said on the Mamelodi Sundowns Pitchside Podcast.
“But you have [Marcelo] Allende, who, since coming into this team, has elevated the club. You have the younger ones, like [Kutlwano] Lelthaku, who need to inspire DDC players.
“It is important because I remember when we won it, Percy Tau was part of the squad. So, can you imagine, this is another story we need to print. For coach Cardoso, who has been in the final three times in a row, something has to give. I can just imagine the stress level he is in as a coach who has been under pressure the whole season.
“Of course, one of the biggest mandates when he came to South Africa was to help us win the Champions League that has been eluding us for so long.”
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