Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has opened up on their grueling traveling towards Morocco ahead of facing Wydad Athletic Club in the first leg CAF Champions League semi-final.
After beating Marumo Gallants 2-0 in Polokwane on Saturday, Masandawana returned to Gauteng on Sunday morning, before a 24-hour turnover ahead of their flights to North Africa where they are now based in the capital city of Rabat.
With one training session completed since their arrival, Mokwena is looking towards the positives of their long journies together as they continue to challenge in Africa’s elite club competition at the final four stage.
“It’s been a typical Champions League type of travel with a lot of challenges but of course, this is what we expect traveling, 11, 12 hours in the morning on Monday, and this is after arriving on Sunday morning from Polokwane,” Mokwena said.
“We arrived very late evening with early hours at the hotel, from Casablanca to Rabat, but this is what we’re used to now, with a lot of challenges, but it also gives us opportunities, the more time we spend with each other, there’s bonding, chemistry and a possibility to get to know each other better.
“That is what we use the traveling for, to compete and also build chemistry, good spirit which is what the players show every day, so very challenging, and very good to giving us to spend good time with each other.”
Wydad, the reigning champions come into the tie having lost only one game in their past 17, which was the 1-0 defeat to Simba in Dar es Salaam last month but Mokwena acknowledges that they pose a major threat, no matter the circumstances of changing coaches last week.
“Yes [form] always counts for something in football, they know their level, they know our level, they know we’re a very good team and we can play our football with good profile, good mentality, confidence, at any pitch,” Mokwena explained.
“But it’s going to be a good game against a team that of course is the defending champions, [has] good pedigree in the Champions League, many years of competing but it’s going to be an interesting game between two good teams, good players and we have to fight and nothing is given on a silver platter and enjoy the opportunity because it’s moments that come once in a lifetime.”
The two sides will meet in Casablanca at the Stade Mohamed V on Saturday evening (21h00).
