Miguel Cardoso’s moment of truth is finally approaching, as Mamelodi Sundowns prepare to face Esperance in a titanic match in Tunisia on Tuesday night.
The highly anticipated second leg of Sundowns and Esperance’s CAF Champions League quarterfinal match will take place at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi in Rades. The game starts at 9pm (SA Time).
Having led the Tunisian powerhouses to the Champions League final prior to being hired by Sundowns, Cardoso says he does not anticipate being jeered by the supporters because he will be on the opposing team.
Coach not expecting to be booed by fans
“I don’t expect to be booed when I arrive there. I know how I left Esperance and the relationship I have with the fans,” he said ahead of the game. “But anyway, even if they happen to boo me, I take boos and whistles as fear.
“I respect people a lot, but I am just on the other side. The fact that we are on different sides does not make us enemies; it just makes us exactly what we are, playing on the other side.”
He continued: “What to expect? I hope I can keep my emotions the right way. I have big respect for the opponents at all times because they are just friends, colleagues, or other people that are trying to do the same job we are trying to do.”
After a spirited victory over Esperance at Loftus Versfeld Stadium last week, Masandawana now lead the match 1-0.
The Brazilians scored their goal in an unusual way, where marquee player Lucas Ribeiro played a diagonal pass to Jayden Adams, who then set up goal poacher Peter Shalulile with a headed pass that the Namibian easily tapped in.
Tunisian media question Downs’ tactics
Pandemonium broke out shortly after the final whistle of their CAF Champions League quarterfinal first leg match, which led to some unpleasant scenes.
After that, images and videos of a fight between a group of Sundowns and travelling Esperance de Tunis supporters went viral on social media.
The Tunisian media has since questioned Cardoso’s style of play, and Sundowns defender Mosa Lebusa defended the Portuguese approach during a press conference on Monday.
“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 way, and we’re focusing on trying to be better than we were in previous seasons.
“In that regard, he’s really leading us. The other coaches did a good job, but right now we’re focusing on the present.”
