Magesi coach Clinton Larsen admits his side faces a stern challenge against Mamelodi Sundowns in the upcoming Carling Knockout Cup final.
Larsen achieved a remarkable feat by guiding his side to the final of the annual cup competition in their first season in the South African top flight.
He feels that taking on Sundowns is akin to playing against South Africa, with a number of Brazilians in the current Bafana set-up.
The Magesi boss said into the Sowetan: “It feels like we are actually playing the national team because last night (Tuesday) I watched six starters from Sundowns in the national team and a few on the bench and if you look at [Marcello] Allende, [Lucas] Ribeiro and [Peter] Shalulile, had they been South Africans, they’d probably be in the national team too.
“So, you’re not just playing Sundowns, it’s like you’re playing against the national team, and that makes this challenge even more exciting for us as a club.”
Magesi last played when they beat Richards Bay 1-0 in the semi-final of this competition on November 9, while Sundowns naturally won’t be as fresh.
But Larsen dismissed the idea that his players would have the advantage going into the tie.
“I disagree 1,000%. Sundowns, for the last 10 years, have mastered the art of playing every three days and they’ve been winning, so what’s going to change this time around? We are up against a formidable opponent,” he explained.