Cardoso Explains How Sundowns Must Approach Champions League Final Against Pyramids

• Miguel Cardoso addressed the media ahead of the CAF Champions League final second leg between Mamelodi Sundowns and Pyramids FC at the 30 June Stadium
• The Portuguese tactician praised the Brazilians' record-breaking Betway Premiership campaign but stressed that league success won’t affect their approach in the final
• The former Nantes manager acknowledged the challenge posed by Pyramids FC, calling them one of Africa’s best teams in recent times

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has shared his thoughts ahead of the CAF Champions League final second leg against Pyramids FC at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo.

The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium last weekend, with a late goal from Walid El Karti giving the Egyptian side a valuable advantage.

Masandawana will be travelling to Egypt for the second time this season in the CAF Champions League. They knocked out Al Ahly from the competition in the semi-final after playing out a 1-1 draw in Cairo in the return leg.

Cardoso opens up on Sundowns' approach against Pyramids

During the pre-match conference, Cardoso outlined what Sundowns have achieved this season so far under his management, especially in the Premier Soccer League, but admitted that the league performance would not affect the second-leg fixture.

"The way we won the national championship in South Africa this season will go down in history," said Cardoso at the pre-match press conference.

We left the best Orlando Pirates side in their history 11 points behind us. That says everything.

"We broke nearly every record in the book. Achievements like that don’t happen every year; they’re special. But none of that changes what’s at stake tomorrow. This is a different challenge entirely.

"Of course, we weren’t happy with the result in the first leg. We believe we could have played much better. But that’s where we are now, determined to improve, fully aware of our quality, and ready to show our intent on the pitch."

Cardoso also confirmed that they respect the Egyptian giants, as they have been one of the best clubs in Africa for some time, and that they need to manage the game carefully.

"At the same time, we respect who we’re up against. Pyramids are one of the best teams in Africa over the past year. We need to manage every moment of the game carefully," he added.

"It’s not just about handling their counter-attacks, they’re also dangerous in structured play and very effective on set-pieces. Like us, they can score at any time.

"Games like this often come down to fine margins. As we saw in the last match, a single moment, even in the dying seconds, can change everything.

"This second leg is essentially a final. Like the big matches in Europe, think Inter Milan vs. Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, it all comes down to one game. One shot at the title."

3 Sundowns players who deserve to start against Pyramids

Briefly News also reported that Cardoso has been advised to start these three Sundowns key players in the second leg of the CAF Champions League final against Pyramids FC in Egypt.

Of the three, two started the first leg on the bench while one was brought on as a substitute, while the other remained an unused sub throughout the game.

Source: Briefly News