Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena says their preparations are on track ahead of their first leg CAF Champions League quarter-final against Chabab Belouizdad at the Nelson Mandela Stadium on Saturday evening.
Sundowns left South Africa on Monday after their weekend Nedbank Cup exit at the hands of Stellenbosch FC at Danie Craven Stadium in the Western Cape.
The traveled back to Gauteng the following day before a 24 turnover heading towards North Africa – where they have now completed two full training sessions already.
“It’s been difficult as we haven’t had a lot of time to recoup, so immediately after our last game, we had to travel back to Johburg, and then the following day we were ready to leave for Cairo – and then link up to Algiers, 15 hours of travel,” Mokwena said.
“But this is the space you find yourself in for the Champions League, fortunately, we have a very experienced staff, and players, who know how to handle the demands of a trip like this and then it’s about settling to have the first day of training with an activation session, the work done by the sports scientists and the medical department has been very good.”
On playing the last-eight clash at the iconic arena named after the former President of South Africa, Mokwena admits it’s a momentous occasion but the squad needs to be soley focused on the task of securing a positive result to take to Tshwane next week.
“It’s an incredible honour, a privilege to be able to put our best foot on a stadium that’s named after probably one of the greatest South African human beings, and even though, his humility would never allow us to say that, but of course because of his incredible contributions to what we are and who we are, we owe a lot to him,” he added.
“I think for sure, there’s going to be an opportunity to demonstrate our appreciation and maybe even the emotional connotation attached to playing at a stadium named after him but let’s play the match and not the occasion.
“Part of the occasion, of course, is the name of the stadium but the biggest focus for us is the match, 11 vs 11 and do the best we can to pull off a vitcory.”
Sundowns face off against the Algerian Ligue 1 champions on Saturday evening at 21h00.
