Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena has confirmed that Gaston Sirino has suffered a new injury setback.
The winger has only featured in 13 games for Masandawana this season so far and is likely to be on the sidelines for the next few weeks.
Mokwena confirmed on Monday that Sirino suffered a new calf strain in a friendly on Saturday but also insisted that the 31-year-old’s absence will be the chance for another player to step up.
“It is still the same, the status quo hasn’t changed, the doctors will access some of the players,” he told journalists.
“Gaston is now again back onto that list, having suffered a calf strain in a friendly match on Saturday.
“That has set him back a little bit after he was recovering from his nose incident that fractured his nose. Even while he was still getting accustomed to playing with comfortability while wearing a facemark, he now unfortunately suffered another setback
“Kennedy has also shown that when you are given an opportunity, you have to take it. That goes for everybody else, we don’t focus too much on who is out, focus on who is available and giving them our energy, giving them our confidence and belief to be able to carry on and take the button and continue with this relay with a clear understanding that it’s going to be very intense toward the end.
“But it’s an intensity that we enjoy and it’s pressure that we understand only forms part of a privileged few.
“We want to be competing in all competitions, we want to be a Mamelodi Sundowns that is trying to win every match.
“When you are in that space, you also understand the counter consequences of that, you suffer a lot from wear and tear but of course you have to try and preempt those by making sure the squad is good enough to be able to resist the volume of games that come thick and fast.”
Downs return to action on Tuesday when they will face ABC Motsepe League side Mathaithai in the Nedbank Cup.
