Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has challenged his players to embrace the scale of their historic FIFA Intercontinental Cup encounter with Al Ahli, insisting the Saudi club’s financial power will count for nothing once the match begins.
Sundowns face the Asian champions at Loftus Stadium on Saturday in their first appearance in the competition, with Cardoso calling on South Africa to unite behind the African champions.
“This goes beyond the Club World Cup,” the Portuguese-born coach said. “It’s a very, very, very high level standard where Sundowns puts the name and we should all feel proud of that.”
Cardoso also opened his press conference by offering condolences to the families of women murdered in Gauteng in recent days, revealing that his own family had recently suffered a loss.
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“We feel this moment also very deeply,” he said, calling for solidarity and for South Africa to respond to the crisis.
Attention then turned to Al Ahli, whose squad includes Ivan Toney, Edouard Mendy and Francisco Trincao. Cardoso acknowledged the quality and resources available to the Saudi Arabian side but insisted Sundowns have no intention of merely participating.
“We don’t want just to participate. We want to compete in the highest level we can,” he said.
“Al Ahli is a team that is a powerhouse, but budgets don’t play. As soon as the referee will blow the whistle, what will speak for the result is the effort and the quality of the game both teams can put.”
Cardoso warned that Sundowns will need complete concentration against opponents capable of punishing even the smallest lapse. He pointed to a pre-season meeting with Al-Hilal, when Sundowns conceded twice from counter-attacks despite producing a strong performance.
“We need to be 100% focused. Ninety-nine per cent will not be enough,” he said.
The coach also appealed for strong support from the stands, believing the home crowd can provide Sundowns with the extra energy required to compete with one of Asia’s biggest clubs.