Just like Orlando Pirates, the three upcoming matches for Mamelodi Sundowns will carry the worth of determining if they play in finals.
For Sundowns specifically, this then means knockout football will continue for the fourth match in a row having played Sekhukhune United in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals, before meeting Esperance over two legs in the CAF Champions League.
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The next three are against Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday (18:00) at Loftus in the last four of the Nedbank, prior to the two legs against Al Ahly in the competition that they desire the most to lift.
Playing one’s cards right is what Miguel Cardoso must do now to fulfil the objectives of why Sundowns brought him in to replace Manqoba Mngqithi.
“It is not unique for these players to have to play such decisive games in such time,” says Cardoso, whose team arrived back in Johannesburg on a charter flight from Tunis, where they played Esperance on Tuesday.
“Our focus is now unique on this competition (Nedbank Cup) and everybody wants to succeed.
“I have total conscious that the way you do things day by day will always influence what will be ahead and I want to have a positive influence on the weekend.
“It means that we need to play to win.
“It is not a normal match but one that puts one team out of the competition and that brings the best of all the players from our side and Chiefs side.
“So, we just need to take ourselves to the top and understand what strategy to take and how to face the game,” he adds.
“This is the level that players, coaches, and staff want to be in, the decision-making moments at the highest level (we) have to cope with.
“In the flight back here, we programmed the following weeks.
“We have to work ahead if we want to provide the best conditions for everybody and that is why I feel so well at the club I represent because people are working hard for us to succeed.
“I’m demanding, I know.
“But the level of demanding I put has been receiving good answers and from the players that is what we expect, which is why we can cope with the responsibility.
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“The players fight with their lives to be in moments like this so they cannot complain rather than enjoy the responsibility of pushing themselves to the limit.
“Every match is a final from now on, but the joy is so enjoyable right now and let’s hope we can obviously keep it going at the level that we have been doing,” details Cardoso.
