Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has urged his side to remain true to themselves ahead of their CAF Champions League semi-final clash against Espérance Sportive de Tunis, insisting that identity and tactical clarity matter more than overthinking the home-and-away dynamic.
Sundowns face Esperance in the first leg at Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Tunis, with the return leg set for Loftus Versfeld. It is a fixture steeped in history; this will be the third successive meeting between the two clubs in the knockout stage of the prestigious tournament.
The Portuguese coach, who previously managed Esperance before taking charge at Sundowns, was asked about the strategic implications of playing the first leg away from home.
He was measured in his response, noting that results, not venue order, are what ultimately shape a team’s outlook heading into the second leg.
“I can’t say if it’s better to play home or away first, usually the coach who walks away with a positive result in the first game, he is satisfied by playing home in the second, but the opposite can also happen — play at home with a good result and then you go away,” Cardoso said.
Cardoso also weighed in on the away goals rule, which remains in effect in the CAF Champions League. Sundowns progressed to last season’s final via the away goals rule, making it a factor both sides will be acutely aware of across the two legs.
The 51-year-old believes the rule changes the nature of the contest, encouraging more open and attacking football compared to what European knockout ties have come to look like.
“There’s no better or worse, there’s results and worse results don’t speak, what is important is that CAF thinks about the away goal being a decisive factor to make the qualification. In terms of a match with a draw, it’s not happening in Europe and makes the games more open,” he said.
“The teams play to score and not worried about suffering an [away goal] and then it’s important, so it’s a tactical approach that changes when that goal is not as important as it is — but what we need to focus on is several aspects, not only the away goal.”
Rather than fixating on the tactical peculiarities of the tie, Cardoso was keen to shift focus toward what Sundowns can control. He spoke at length about the need to study Esperance, their new players, their new coach, and their evolving identity – before turning the lens inward.
“We focus on what this team brings, how they play, what the new players brought to the team, what the new coach brought to the team, the identity of Esperance and then think about ourselves, what we want to bring to the game, who we are, how we play, how we need to be loyal to ourselves, how we will feel comfortable to play the game,” he said.
For Cardoso, the most important message going into the semi-final is one of self-belief and tactical honesty.
“So what kind of game do we want to have — that’s the most important message to ourselves. We are what we are and if we take the game for that level, it’s obviously more comfortable for ourselves. That’s who we have to impose to be as much as we can,” he added.
Sundowns head into the tie on the back of an impressive run of domestic form, having won their last 10 league games to sit top of the Betway Premiership.
