Bafana Bafana legend Teko Modise has explained why he believes Mamelodi Sundowns are the only club in the country with enough squad depth and expects two PSL sides, in particular, to 'struggle' this season.
Pirates registered a 2-1 win over MC Algiers in their first 2024/25 CAF Champions League group stage match last week Tuesday but were humbled by a 1-0 defeat to Stellenbosch FC five days later in the Betway Premiership.
Notably, head coach Jose Riveiro started the exact same line-up on both occasions.
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Meanwhile, Steve Barker rotated his squad as Stellenbosch FC suffered a 2-0 loss to Stade Malien in the CAF Confederation Cup and had his regulars available to topple the Buccaneers on Sunday.
In the post-match press conference, he admitted to having to juggle his line-up due to the heavy load of travelling and a short turnaround time between matches.
Modise, who has won both the CAF Champions League and the Premiership title, believes it's only going to get worse for the two clubs.
"I don't think there is a formula to find solutions to it because you can't control the challenges of travelling," Modise said in the latest episode of Sundowns' The Pitchside Podcast.
"And people tend to forget that even the players that are going there and not playing still have the same fatigue as the players that are playing, then you start looking at your team.
"I have always said this, people speak of depth, but what is depth? Let's tell the truth. If we speak about depth and quality, I still believe that we (Sundowns) are the only team that has depth and quality and if someone feels another way, they can prove it to me.
"When the tough gets going, when those fixtures start coming in thick and fast with the travelling and coming back, we are the only team that can change the whole XI and still stand a chance to win the game, and I think we have to take advantage of that.
"I think a time will come when... and that's where Mamelodi Sundowns will prove how strong they are because then you can go to Raja Casablanca or go to anywhere else on the continent and put your best XI and win, then come back two days later and have a league game and change it [the team] and still win the game.
"So, we are still in it. It's just that those teams that you are referring to (Pirates and Stellies), they will struggle a lot, unfortunately, because people will be saying, 'But you need to choose a tournament that you can prioritise'.
"No, you can't!
"Every footballer goes into the pitch to try and win the game. So, I always say that in the beginning, it's fine. Get to the third game of the group stages and that's when we are going to start seeing the cracks."
"Because immediately you land, two days later you are playing a tough game, a sold-out game.
"So, those things are going to come and I just hope by the time that comes, Mamelodi Sundowns already have that momentum because we are number one now. We are back to where we belong, where we are the team to beat. So, let's stay there as much as we have been doing that for so many years," says Modise.
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The Brazilians played to a goalless draw against Maniema Union of DRC in their first CAF Champions League group stage match, at home, and have their first away clash on Sunday when they play Moroccan giants AS FAR Rabat.
Meanwhile, Pirates will host Al Ahly at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, while Stellies will also be at home against Morocco's RSB Berkane.