Pyramids FC coach Jaime Pacheco has explained that striker Fiston Mayele is absent from his side’s CAF Champions League clash with Mamelodi Sundowns due to visa issues, and has asked CAF to help clubs avoid these in future.
The Egyptian giants face Sundowns in a crucial match day three clash at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday, with both teams sitting on three points after two games.
But they will have to do without their key striker after Mayele was denied a visa, with the coach admitting the situation is not ideal.
“Unfortunately Mayele and other players are not available here, this is limiting our options here in the match,” he told reporters.
“I know that our management didi everything they can do for him to be here but it’s a matter of bureaucracy and laws that visas have been declined.
“As I always said, we have to always back up our players and the players that will be available for the game, we have to give them confidence also.”
Pacheco also admitted that he’s not an expert in those admin issues but he feels CAF should do more to help the clubs because his players come to South Africa to play football.
“Let me tell you something, about this bureaucracy, the politics, the visas and so on, I’m used to talk about football, I have nothing to do with the visas, nothing to do with the entry of the players to the country, and I don’t know much about it,” he added.
“I know the management has tried everything, the directors have tried everything and they couldn’t get the visas.
“I think CAF along with the clubs and the embassies they have to have cooperation in order to apply or get the visa for the players.
“These are football players, they come here to play the match, they not come here to do anything else – they are with a group of players and group with the club.
“I believe they [CAF] can ease the ways for the club because it’s a mission. Yes, other clubs are having this problems as well. Now these players will not be able to help us and our tactical options are less.”
Pacheco ended the topic with a joke, adding: “Maybe they didn’t give the visa to Mayele because he’s a fan of Sundowns…”
