Stellenbosch FC facing two Soweto giants in four days will give them the right preparation for facing a big Egyptian club and Mamelodi Sundowns in one week next month, says head coach Steve Barker.
Stellies may need to choose their battles, with a Nedbank Cup quarterfinal against Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday presumably more important than a league clash against Orlando Pirates three days later.
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They will have a breather for just over two weeks after that, with Betway Premiership matches against Sekhukhune United and Magesi FC respectively.
That is prior to arguably their biggest test against Zamalek twice in the CAF Confederation Cup two-legged quarterfinal, with a league encounter against Sundowns sandwiched in-between, in a space of a week at the beginning of April.
"Sekhukhune added on the mix, then the following week is Zamalek, Sundowns, Zamalek," explained Barker in a Nedbank Cup pre-match presser.
"When you're playing these sort of matches in these sort of situations, quarterfinal (of the Nedbank Cup) and quarter-final of the Confed, you don't need to motivate the players much.
"I think it's about maintaining levels of focus and concentration and repeat to the players, it's what you do in the training ground. The better you train, the better the concentration quality, it's easier to execute on match-day.
"The amount of games we played, get the players emotionally involved and not under-involved, to understand we create a special season for the club, having already been in the final and qualifying for the Confed knockout stages and (Nedbank Cup) quarter-finals.
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"We're gonna be playing a lot of matches. It's about coping and managing your energy levels, injury prevention - they become more important than the coaching sessions," Barker added.
Stellies will host Amakhosi at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday (18:00) due to unavailability of suitable venues in the Western Cape, and those suitable hosting other events this weekend.