Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, Miguel Cardoso, has once again voiced his frustration with his team’s grueling fixture schedule, following their 4-2 victory over Sekhukhune United.
While Sundowns cruised to their 17th win in 19 league games, extending their lead to 15 points over second-placed Orlando Pirates—who still have four games in hand—Cardoso couldn’t hide his dissatisfaction with the intense fixture schedule.
Read: Sundowns Extend Lead to 15 Points After Massive Win Over Sekhukhune
Indeed, this victory marked their eighth game (across all competitions) in February alone, averaging a match every three days, which has taken a toll on the players.
“I can only repeat it, it’s absolutely insane what’s happening to Sundowns,” Cardoso told SuperSport TV after the match.
“The schedule is insane, it’s not normal. It doesn’t respect the human being and I think it should be fought and well-considered because I don’t know how it’s possible.
“But we keep alive, we struggle and we continue pushing forward for sure.”
The Portuguese coach has been vocal about the burden the fixture congestion places on his squad, especially when it comes to putting the player first.
The former Esperance mentor has made it clear that the current schedule is unsustainable and harmful to his players’ physical and mental well-being. Despite this, Masandawana have been firing on all cylinders, maintaining their dominance at the top of the league.
Cardoso also expressed his frustration over the cheap second goal conceded by his team against Sekhukhune United, which disrupted his plans to rest key players.
The goal forced him to abandon his strategy of rotating his squad to manage fatigue. “Unfortunately we suffered this stupid second goal,” he added.
“It was not my plan. In this moment, there is no need for this. Overconfidence sometimes makes you make mistakes.
“In that moment I was preparing two substitutions to replace two players and I could not do them.
“I should not have pushed the players to such limits but we needed to win today and then we think about tomorrow.”
With Sundowns’ relentless fixture list showing no signs of easing up, the team will be back in action this weekend when they face Kaizer Chiefs at Lucas Moripe Stadium. Kick off in Atteridgeville is set for 15:30 on Saturday, 01 March 2025.