Miguel Cardoso gives Monnapule Saleng a chance after Sundowns' return

Miguel Cardoso gave a positive assessment of the possible revival of Mamelodi Sundowns following their unexpected exit from the CAF Champions League on Friday evening.

The Sundowns team failed to defend its title even before demonstrating strong play, as they disappointingly dropped out of the group stage qualifiers against Wiliete. Wiliete's victory was achieved based on the away goals rule after a 1-1 draw in Pretoria.

This result greatly disappointed Sundowns, and Cardoso admitted that the team failed in the most important game of the season, despite having won the MTN8 and the Fifa African-Asian-Pacific Cup earlier in the campaign.

Nevertheless, the Portuguese coach remains optimistic, believing that after a dark period, a bright phase will come, and Sundowns will return stronger and better.

Cardoso stated: 'Great empires always rise from ashes.' He compared the situation to the periods after the First and Second World Wars, noting that many great achievements arise from such difficulties.

He added: 'Today (Friday) was a dark night, but it is darkness that must give us the goal and energy to build something bigger. Perhaps this is an important lesson to learn for the future. As I usually say, what happens to us does not define us. What defines us much more is how we react to what happens.'

Sundowns' opportunity to react to the defeat will come in the match against Marumo Gallants in the Round of 16 of the Carling Knockout tournament, which will take place on Tuesday evening at the Loftus Versfeld stadium. A win in this meeting will allow the team not only to advance but also to gain the necessary momentum to participate in remaining competitions, including the semi-final of the Fifa Intercontinental Cup and the Betway Premiership, which are priority goals.

Cardoso noted: 'There are many trophies still to fight for.' At the same time, he emphasized that the significance of exiting the Champions League cannot be forgotten. He admitted that this is difficult for the club and coaches, and personally, it is especially hard after the team was in the final for three consecutive years.

He also mentioned that for a club that was supposed to participate in the group stage for the twelfth consecutive time, this is not easy. Despite the deep disappointment from Friday's result, achieving the last two continental finals—one with Esperance and another with Sundowns—may offer a chance to reset and look at continental football and other tournaments with fresh eyes.

Mamelodi Sundowns has always been considered a force in continental football, so its success will not be determined solely by successfully defending the CAF Champions League trophy, although the club will make every effort to retain it.

Currently, Sundowns is defending its continental title after winning a second star last season, ending a ten-year drought. This makes the team a favorite at every stage of the tournament.

However, this responsibility is relatively new for most players, as only veterans Themba Zwane and Denis Onyango remain from the squad that won the title under former coach Pitso Mosimane in the 2015/16 season.

Despite having to wait a whole decade for triumph, coach Miguel Cardoso emphasized how the club maintained its status in African football. He stated that the pressure on the team this season is the same as before. According to him, Sundowns were a big team even before winning the Champions League for the second time, as they played in the final last season and in the semi-finals the year before.

Cardoso added: 'When I first came to play against Sundowns, I already perceived them as a huge power. Nothing has changed—we just added a second star now. The question is not how other teams see us, but how we remain humble, understand how to fight and compete in these tournaments. It's all about how we present ourselves completely.'

Sundowns must give their all in the match against Wiliete in the second round of the CAF Champions League qualifiers following a 0-0 draw in the first match in Angola. Cardoso knows that any result other than a win in regular time or a victory in a penalty shootout at Loftus Versfeld stadium on Friday evening (at 20:00) will lead to an early end to their campaign.

The coach noted: 'We know that if we win, we advance. If there is a 0-0 draw, we go to penalties, and if there is a draw with goals, we are eliminated.' He hinted at three consecutive wins in finals, adding that finals are meant for victories. 'If we play at the highest level, we will achieve a result that allows us to move to the next stage of the competition.'

The head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns, Miguel Cardoso, warned his players that defending the title in the CAF Champions League will face an early test during the trip to Angola to meet Wiliete on Sunday.

The Brazilian team will face the Angolan club in the second preliminary round. The match is scheduled for 17:00. They know they will face a squad that is showing an impressive start to its domestic season.

Currently, Wiliete leads the Girabola tournament, having accumulated 16 points in six matches and remaining undefeated, making them a potentially dangerous opponent despite their relatively low profile on the continental stage.

Sundowns automatically advanced to the next round due to their high ranking, while Wiliete secured their spot in the second round after defeating the Seychelles team Foresters 5-0 on aggregate over two matches.

Cardoso strongly urged his team to approach this confrontation with due seriousness, warning that Wiliete's domestic form poses a threat that cannot be ignored. He stated: 'We must respect this qualifying round very seriously and aggressively. This was not a friendly match.'

He added: 'Sometimes we face teams where we know: 'We can handle it,' but this is a difficult match, and they (Wiliete) are leading the Angolan championship. After our return from Durban, we have already studied them, and it is clear that this is a team that will cause us problems, and we need to focus.'

Sundowns enters this task after a demanding period that included a triumph in the MTN8 tournament over Orlando Pirates and a game in the Betway Premiership against Richards Bay. Due to accumulating domestic and continental commitments, Cardoso is also preparing his squad for careful management to keep the players fit during a period of high workload.

The Portuguese coach has already called on fans to trust the technical staff's decisions, explaining that rotation will be determined by the players' condition, readiness, and motivation. The goal is to maintain Sundowns' competitive level while giving the team enough time to recover to cope with the schedule.

For the defending champions, the first match on Sunday offers an opportunity to gain an advantage before the return fixture, but Cardoso's message is clear: Wiliete's form demands respect, and Sundowns cannot afford to approach the match with complacency. The team's ambitions in the Champions League will depend on how effectively they handle this early hurdle, especially playing away against a rival who has not yet suffered a defeat in their domestic league this season.