Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates will be hoping the CAF Champions League group stages do not present speed bumps to their domestic form, as was the case with the FIFA breaks.
The international break in between the ongoing season has it's way of disrupting the momentum of teams, especially the big sides, as Sundowns were the latest to seemingly be undone by an unkind FIFA break.
With the last match for Bafana having taken place on Tuesday, Pirates could have been the most aware that a shock in the Carling Knockout final could have been in store for Masandawana against Magesi.
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The Buccaneers suffered the same fate, after going into the second FIFA break of the season in mid-October brimming with confidence, of a perfect start in the Betway Premiership after they were also crowned MTN8 champions.
However, just after the international break, the Soweto giants were almost embarrassed by Magesi in the first round of the Carling Knockout after they were 3-0 down up to the last four minutes of the game before scoring two goals and on the other hand, came close to forcing the game to extra-time but eventually lost 3-2.
The Tshwane giants were probably fortunate not to suffer any shock result right after the first international recess, as their first game after the September FIFA break was against Mbabane Swallows in the CAF Champions League, second preliminary round first-leg they won 4-0.
Manqoba Mngqithi managed the previous international break of mid-October well, after he rotated his squad in a 5-0 win over Golden Arrows in the Carling Knockout first round (but did not rotate in the Carling Knockout final).
Kaizer Chiefs have emerged unscathed from the bumps of the FIFA break after they opened their season with a 2-1 win over Marumo Gallants in September just after the long recess and in mid-October returned from the internationals with a 4-0 thumping of SuperSport United in the Carling Knockout round of 16 (The Glamour Boys' two losses against Sundowns in the league and in the Carling Knockout were damaging).
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As The Brazilians and Ezimnyama open their CAF Champions League group stages campaigns on Tuesday, Amakhosi will be hoping for more surprise results in the Betway Premiership, with no international breaks until March next year.
The PSL will not take any festive break, with the CAF Champions League group stages playing until mid December and resuming in early January 2025.