‘No excuses’: Cardoso hits back at fixture congestion talk

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has hit back at suggestions that his concerns over fixture congestion are “excuses,” insisting his side is ready to “die on the pitch” in Friday’s critical CAF Champions League quarter-final.

The Betway Premiership champions welcome Stade Malien to Loftus Versfeld for the first-leg encounter amidst a gruelling schedule that has seen the Brazilians competing on multiple fronts with minimal recovery time.

Despite the heavy workload, Cardoso remains adamant that his complaints regarding a lack of domestic support for CAF-bound teams should not be mistaken for a defeatist attitude.

Addressing the media ahead of the Friday night showdown, Cardoso clarified his stance on the club’s relentless calendar, which saw them play Orbit College FC on Tuesday and scheduled to face Marumo Gallants just days before jetting off to Mali for the return leg.

“Let’s not confuse things, please. I am not finding excuses for anything. We don’t work with excuses; we work with character and attitude,” Cardoso asserted.

“I have to defend my players, and I have to defend my club. We don’t look for excuses at Sundowns—whether it’s the pitch, rain, or humidity, we don’t care. We go wherever we have to go and do our job.”

CARDOSO VOWS SUNDOWNS WILL RISE ABOVE FIXTURE CRUNCH

Sundowns face a logistical nightmare as they juggle title aspirations with continental glory. The second leg in Mali is slated for Sunday, March 22, leaving the Tshwane giants with a razor-thin margin for error and recovery.

However, Cardoso believes the depth and mentality of his squad will carry them through.

“Tomorrow [Friday], there will be 11 players on that pitch with high commitment and in high condition to make a match. We will fight from the first to the last minute, and the same applies to the bench. Our attitude is purely about the context of the game. The odds only matter once the whistle blows.”

With Masandawana having recently leapfrogged Orlando Pirates at the summit of the domestic log, the focus now shifts back to the pursuit of a second star, where character will be tested far more than tactical preparation.