Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso says CAF Champions League matches are for results, not performances after being questioned by Tunisian media over his style of play.
Cardoso grinded out 1-0 wins home and away with Esperance over the Rulani Mokwena-led Sundowns last season, which many considered a smash and grab as Sundowns dominated possession with most of the chances in the home and away legs of the semi-final.
With Mokwena since left and Cardoso taking over mid-season, replacing Manqoba Mngqithi, he now faces his former side for a place in the last-four of Africa’s elite club competition, and ahead of the 2nd leg in Rades, where Sundowns hold a 1-0 advantage, the local press has questioned how much the style of football at Sundowns has changed from last season.
“Champions League matches are for results, I remember last year, most of you [media] criticised performances that Esperance did and then reached the final, we never, as coaches, worry about the opinions of others when we know what we’re doing…
“We know what we’re doing, last year, I don’t want to go back on that, it’s not kind to speak about coaches who are not here, it was played with other coaches… What we need to understand is what we’re here to do.
“We know what we’re going to do, how to prepare ourselves for the match, what we need to take inside the pitch, the commitment we need to take and no more.”
Mosa Lebusa, who was present alongside the coach, in the pre-match press conference had his say too, when questioned about Cardoso’s role with a contrasting style of Mokwena.
“I think every coach is different with their philosophies and we’re lucky enough to have a coach, who was in the final last season, he’s helping us, making us realise our full potential, not to say the other coaches didn’t,” Lebusa said.
“He’s different in his own way and we’re focusing on trying to be better than we were in previous seasons, in that regard, he’s really leading us and the other coaches did a good job but right now we’re focusing on the present.?
The two sides meet at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi this evening (21h00).
