Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso believes that some Premier Soccer League (PSL) teams are reluctant to face his side.
The Brazilians are currently balancing domestic and continental commitments after progressing to the CAF Champions League group stages with a 7-1 aggregate victory over Remo Stars.
To stay on track in the DStv Premiership, Sundowns are eager to play as many league fixtures as possible before their schedule becomes more congested.
No team wants to face Sundowns, says Cardoso
Cardoso revealed that the club has been trying to arrange another league fixture for the weekend following the Carling Knockout Cup semi-finals on November 9. However, he claims that no team has agreed to face them so far.
“For example, we are trying to play a match on the next weekend,” Cardoso said as per KickOff.
“After Orlando Pirates, we play TS Galaxy on Wednesday, and we are going team by team in the PSL to see who can accept to play against us on Sunday [9 November], just before the next FIFA dates.”
The Downs coach suggested that there may be more to the refusals than meets the eye.
“Already we tried four clubs, and no one wants to play. Maybe someone is telling them not to play against us on that weekend,” he added.
Sundowns have struggled for form this season under Cardoso and are already out of two cup competitions. Their congested schedule has been a recurring challenge over the years due to their consistent involvement in CAF competitions.
Cardoso’s remarks, however, add a new layer of intrigue to the ongoing debate about fixture scheduling and fairness in South African football.
It remains to be seen if Cardoso will survive this season as Sundowns coach. His team currently top the Betway Premiership but have played two more matches compared to their rivals, Orlando Pirates.