Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says that they will approach the much-anticipated clash against Orlando Pirates on Sunday just like they do with any other match in the league.
The defending champions will face Pirates in a match that has already been billed as the title decider at the FNB Stadium on Sunday.
Pirates are the only team that can challenge and wrestle the title away from the unstoppable Brazilians.
The Buccaneers are placed number two and are trailing Sundowns by 18 points, but they have four matches in hand.
Midweek, Pirates dropped two valuable points in Cape Town, and should they succumb to Sundowns on Sunday, it could be all over for the Sea Robbers, who showed promise that they could take on the log-leaders pound for pound.
“We see this as the next match to be played in the PSL [Premier Soccer League], a match we need to approach in a similar way we have been doing with the previous matches,” said Cardoso.
“It’s about studying our opponents as best as possible and understanding how they can play, who they are going to line up with, and the characteristics they have been showing; it is just normal preparation for the match.”
Any team can drop points
The former Esperance coach explained the complexities of the PSL and has made observations that you can lose any game, home or away.
He said: “How I see the league from the first day I arrived is that this is a championship where teams can lose points in any game, at home or away against any opponent.
“So, whatever happens in this match, it will be the same approach, going for three points and to think about the next match.
“It has been challenging to keep this mentality; it has been challenging to keep the right focus with every match and also to know which players are ready to play, who needs to be rested, and also those who must avoid injuries. We are doing well to manage that so far.”
Cardoso continued: “The focus after this match will turn to the CAF Champions League; it is clear, and we have to cope with that and come back to the PSL with full energy.
“What we want is to arrive in the last part of the season able to compete in all our competitions, and the way to achieve that is to always focus on the next game.
“We have tough opponents in the Champions League and also the changed schedule in the Nedbank Cup because of the postponement of our game.”
Nine players in the national team
Sundowns have nine players in the Bafana Bafana squad that coach Hugo Broos selected for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin next week.
“It is an incredible pleasure for the club, for myself, and for staff to have a lot of players in the national team — this is what we work for.
“I am also happy to see that we have players in the SA Under-20 national squad and also in the CHAN team.
“Obviously, there’s a flipside to that: we’re going to play CAF, the Nedbank Cup, and after that, we have to take care of the players.
“We cannot tell the SA national team not to select our players because we feel proud that they are there.
“It would have been good if our game against Pirates was kept on a Saturday and not Sunday, so that the players could rest.
“If they rest enough, they will perform for the national team at a higher level.”
