Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has backed Brayan Leon to rediscover his best form, insisting the Colombian striker must focus on working for the team rather than putting himself under pressure to score goals.
Leon enjoyed an explosive start after joining Sundowns from Colombian side Independiente Medellín in January last year, finishing the previous campaign with 15 goals and two assists in 26 appearances.
However, the forward has struggled to replicate those numbers this season, registering just three goals and one assist in 13 games, a notable drop-off from his early impact in South Africa.
Despite the dip in output, Cardoso is confident Leon will find the right balance and regain his confidence, stressing that goals should come naturally when a striker focuses on his overall contribution rather than becoming consumed by the need to score.
“Brayan Leon will find for sure the right mindset for and the right stability and the right freedom to play with without pressure, because a player that plays with the pressure to score, you don’t have to score. You don’t have to score,” Cardoso said.
“He has to fight a lot. Because if he fights a lot, if he plays for the team, if he understands the behaviors, we won’t. If not him, other one will score the goals we need. Because we’ve been scoring more goals than ever,” he added.
While Cardoso admitted he would like to see all his strikers scoring consistently, he remains satisfied with the team’s attacking production, suggesting Leon’s individual numbers should be viewed in the broader context of Sundowns’ performances.
“We are in the league in the highest ever in the last I don’t know many many many years, as you stated in the press. So for a coach, obviously I would like to see all the strikers scoring, but I want to see the team scoring, the team scoring, and we’ve been doing that consistently. So it’s quite okay.”
Masandawana now turn their attentions to Durban City this weekend in the league – before the CAF Super Cup the following week – their final game before the next FIFA International break.