Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has provided an injury update of the squad ahead of their first leg CAF Champions League semi-final against Al Ahly at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon.
Sundowns come off the back of their surprise Nedbank Cup semi-final exit to Kaizer Chiefs this past weekend but are raring to go, for the competition targeted as their priority, as they aim to deliver their second star, and first title since 2016.
The squad appeared in jovial spirits this morning with nearly a full bill of health, as Siyabonga Mabena, Rivaldo Coetzee, and Lebo Mothiba were also back on the pitch, but training separately from the first team squad.
However, Cardoso has confirmed Mabena and Mothiba’s unavailability while also cautioning there may be more players in their casualty ward as the club is not in the business of compromising players.
“We have [Lebo] Mothiba that is for some time still in the process of integration in the team,” he said in the pre-match press conference at Chioorkop on Thursday afternoon.
“[Siyabonga] Mabena that is also under some certain conditions and all the ones are in the process of recovering. So tomorrow we’ll have a more detailed information on who is unavailable to 100% to make the game.
“The condition is we get everybody so that we don’t compromise this stage for the second [leg] of the semi-final.
“So tomorrow we’ll decide. There are still some small details to see after today’s session there were some players with some restraints and only tomorrow we’ll have a chance to understand if they will be available or not for the game.
“It’s important that we understand that we will not make decisions that can compromise the season of the players – there is a lot more to go.”
Masandawana host the Red Devils on Saturday afternoon in the nation’s capital Tshwane, at 15h00.
