05/04/2025
Cardoso Sends Warning Ahead Of Trip To Tunisia
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has warned that teams who travel to Tunisia for a draw against Esperance Sportive de Tunis, will lose.
Sundowns hold a 1-0 advantage going into the second leg quarter-final of the CAF Champions League next week, as they Esperance prepare to host them on Tuesday.
While the topic of playing in the hostile environment of Radès, Tunis, Cardoso feels he charges have what it takes to come home with victory and progression to the semi-finals but they need to be mentally prepared to handle what is thrown at them.
“It’s a match like any other match, my job is to make the players believe it’s a match like any other one, because there’s only 11 players inside the pitch, the crowd and fans don’t play,” he said.
“The referee will not want to make mistakes, be neutral, so 11 players have to play football. They have their own strengths, I know what they believe, they live for Champions League nights, they live for wonderful Champions League nights.”
Back in 2018, Taraji won the their third of four stars in the history of the competition, overturning a 3-1 loss to Al Ahly in the first leg, with a 3-0 win at home, which Cardoso noted as their capabilities with home ground advantage.
“Turning around results, they were Champions League winners who changed a result from 2-0 and changing them at home and winning the Champions League, that’s why they believe in it,” he explained.
“I also believe we can win there and it’s my job to make our players believe they can win there, because if you go [to Tunisia] and play for a draw, you will lose, this team will be another team.
“Esperance at home will be another team, and the way the also know if they [concede] a goal it can be tricky for them, very tricky. So the coach will be relaxed due to the trust he has in his players, we’re also relaxed but that is respect for the competition."