Cardoso addresses whether Portuguese duo can fill Ribeiro’s boots

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has moved swiftly to manage expectations, stating that the club’s new Portuguese pairing, Nuno Santos and Miguel Reisinho, are not intended to be direct replacements for the departed PSL Footballer of the Season, Lucas Ribeiro Costa.

The pair, recruited from the Primeira Liga in Portugal, were instrumental in the Brazilians’ 3-1 victory over FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo in the CAF Champions League group stage opener on Saturday in Pretoria. Santos netted a decisive brace, while Reisinho provided two assists, including a sublime through-ball that set up his compatriot’s first goal.

Their immediate impact has naturally sparked questions about whether they can fill the gaping void left by Ribeiro, who not only claimed the PSL Golden Boot but also earned global recognition with the FIFA Club World Cup Goal of the Tournament and a Puskas Award nomination last season.

However, Cardoso was quick to temper the individual praise, emphasising collective strength and quality over direct comparisons.

Cardoso Clarifies: Santos And Reisinho Are Not Ribeiro Replacements

“I don’t like to individualise performances too much – I think we have players who could rise and not replace [Ribeiro],” Cardoso explained. “We don’t expect anyone to replace anyone, but bring quality [to the squad].”

The coach stressed that his reliance is on the overall depth and talent within the squad, especially given the difficulties of a demanding season.

“We depend on quality, as coaches. When we have quality it’s easier, when you don’t have, it’s harder,” he noted. “Unfortunately, this season we had difficult times, not due to a lack of players, but because they got injured; we’re dealing with traumatic injuries in a season.”

Cardoso praised the recent upturn in form from several players, which he believes is essential for meeting the club’s enormous targets.

“It’s good there are players lifting their level so that we can be on the height of the demand, because the demand is very, very high, expectations are always very high,” he insisted.

Reflecting on the Lupopo match, Cardoso highlighted the importance of consistency, admitting the team’s focus dropped, leading to the conceded goal.

“What is important is that the locker room understands that games are played from the first to the last minute with the focus in the right direction… we can’t be complacent in Champions League – we understand that and corrected it at half-time,” he said, before concluding: “We have a good reaction, and I think we’re all pleased by the performance we saw – beautiful game, beautiful game.”

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