Bafana Bafana Star Backed to Rediscover His Form After Rejoining Mamelodi Sundowns
- Former Pirates and Sundowns midfielder Lebohang Mokoena defended Cassius Mailula's difficult spell in Europe and MLS
- Mailula, 25, is currently training with Sundowns on pre-season camp in Austria after being released by KV Kortrijk
- Mokoena argued that a strong season at Chloorkop could reopen the door to European football for the forward
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Former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Lebohang Mokoena has backed Cassius Mailula to rediscover his best form at Chloorkop, dismissing concerns about the 25-year-old's troubled period abroad.
Mailula's difficult journey abroad
Speaking to FARPost, Mokoena argued that Mailula's time away from South African football, despite its struggles, would ultimately benefit his development.
"Europe is Europe, he can go anytime," Mokoena said, suggesting that a productive campaign at Sundowns could serve as a launchpad back to European competition.
Mailula left Masandawana in July 2023 after a single season in the Betway Premiership, joining MLS club Toronto FC. The move proved turbulent — he was at one stage relegated to the club's reserve setup before securing loan moves to Wydad Casablanca and Belgian side KV Kortrijk.
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At Kortrijk, he managed just three appearances as the club earned promotion back to the Jupiler Pro League, but the Belgian outfit chose not to make the arrangement permanent.
Now without a club, Mailula has been training with Sundowns and is part of the squad currently on pre-season camp in Austria. No official announcement regarding a formal return has been made by the club.
Competition in a well-stocked Sundowns attack
Mokoena acknowledged that Mailula will face stiff internal competition, with Sundowns boasting considerable depth in attack. Brazilian forward Brayan Leon, who reached double figures last season despite arriving mid-campaign, leads the line alongside Bafana Bafana striker Iqraam Rayners, Lebo Mothiba and Arthur Sales.
However, Mokoena pointed to the volume of matches at Chloorkop as reason for optimism, arguing the fixture list under coach Miguel Cardoso would create meaningful opportunities for Mailula to stake his claim — provided he is prepared to compete for a starting berth.
Sundowns are yet to confirm whether Mailula's pre-season involvement will translate into a permanent deal ahead of the new Betway Premiership campaign.
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Source: Briefly News
