Sundowns&#8217; Cardoso &#8211; &#8216;The calendar has beaten us&#8217;

‘We play a Champions League final in four days. FAR are on their third day of rest,’ said the Sundowns head coach.

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso blamed Masandawana’s intense fixture schedule after their grip on the Betway Premiership loosened with a 3-2 defeat at TS Galaxy on Tuesday evening.

Pirates effectively one win away

The result means Orlando Pirates can all-but seal the title with a win at home to Durban City on Saturday. Eight-time reigning Premiership champions Sundowns will now look to add a second star to their jersey as they take on Morocco’s FAR Rabat in the Caf Champions League final.

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Playing domestically and in Africa has certainly taken its toll on Sundowns, and Cardoso also pointed to the fact that they will be less rested than their opponents in the first leg of the Champions League final at Loftus on Sunday.

“I don’t think anyone else has played seven matches in 21 days … the calendar has beaten us and we need to recover as soon as possible,’ Cardoso told SuperSport TV.

“We play a Champions League final in four days. FAR are on their third day of rest.”

The Sundowns head coach also called on the club’s supporters to be honest in their reflection if Pirates do pip Masandawana to the title.

“I was going to tell them (the fans), if we had won today, that we would have scored a number of points that would have taken us to one of the three best campaigns ever at this club.

“We would also have had the same points as the champions.”

Sundowns’ Cardoso – ‘It is important for the fans to look honestly’

Pirates are three points behind Sundowns, but have two games left to play, and a superior goal difference. Masandawana’s Premiership campaign has run its course.

“We will see what will happen. But it was the calendar that beat us. We had 11 wins in a row since January. Then we played Esperance (in the Champions League semifinals) and we drew twice in seven (Premiership) games and lost today,” added Cardoso.

“It is important for the fans to look honestly at the work of the boys. They can criticise the coach that is not a problem for me, I have big shoulders.

“I know the fans will be on our side this weekend.”