IT doesn’t rain but pours for Mamelodi Sundowns!
The title-chasing Brazilians will have to pull a miracle to win the currently underway Caf Champions League and the 2018-19 Absa Premiership, considering their hectic schedule.
They are expected to play on average a game after every four days, which includes travelling outside of the country for their African club commitments too.
The Brazilians’ 2-1 win on Saturday was the beginning of their roller-coaster ride and club bosses are expect the players to still pull a rabbit out of the hat, let alone injuries that have hit the Pitso Mosimane’s club.
There is also the pending PSL sentence after they were found guilty of having fielded Wayne Arendse in their league match.
Even the Brazilians’ legal and commercial manager, Yogesh Singh, admitted that they will have to follow their schedule if they are to achieve their ambitions – conquering Africa and the PSL.
On Tuesday they have a date against a hurting Chippa United in their 27th league match at Loftus Stadium, a match they would like to use to catch up on points and matches with Orlando Pirates who are top of the PSL table with 50 points, which is three more than them.
According to Singh, they will have to fly straight to Morocco where they will prepare for Friday’s Champions League semi-final match against Wydad Casablanca at the 52 000-seater Rabat-Complexe Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco capital city.
SunSport further understands that they are forced to rush straight to the Morocco international airport immediately after the match for a flight back home where they will face Leopards on May Day (1 May), which is 10-days before the final match of the season.
This means three days later they would be expected to host their Moroccan counterparts at home to complete their second leg of the Champions League semifinal on 4 May at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, Atteridgeville where they would be hoping to book their place in the final.
Players would definitely be expected to keep their bags tightly packed on the door since there would be a lot of travelling.
Their penultimate league game is against Golden Arrows at home on 7 May, three days after playing Casablanca and they will complete their season on 11 May against Free State Stars away at Goble Park.
“We have no choice but to meet our league obligations. We were expected to complete the season on 11 May, and this is what we will have to do. This is the day that the league cannot move. Remember there is also the Nedbank Cup final scheduled for 18 May. For now we are just going to have to make it happen, under the circumstances.”
DOWNS FIXTURES
23 APRIL: v Chippa United (Loftus Stadium, 7.30pm)
26 APRIL: v Waydad Casablanca (Rabat-Complexe Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, 8pm)
1 MAY: v Black Leopards (Thohoyandou Stadium, 3pm)
4 APRIL: v Wydad Casablanca (Lucas Moripe Stadium, 6pm)
7 MAY: v Golden Arrows (Loftus Stadium, 7.30pm)
11 MAY: v Free State Stars (Goble Park, 3pm)
