Miguel Cardoso Makes Clear Referee Wish Ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns vs Orlando Pirates MTN8 Final

• Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso made a pointed request ahead of the MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates
• Cardoso addressed the role officials should play in what he described as a high-stakes meeting between two South African football giants
• The former Esperance of Tunisia head coach also spoke about the spirit he expects both clubs to display throughout the final

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has called on match officials to deliver a standout performance when his side faces Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final, saying a strong refereeing display is among his key wishes for the match.

Speaking at an open media day on Wednesday morning, Cardoso made clear that fair and competent officiating would go a long way towards creating the kind of final that both clubs and the country deserve.

**Cardoso's Wish for the MTN8 Final**

"Let's hope the best team wins, let's hope Mamelodi Sundowns is the best team, I hope the referee is actually the best team on the pitch, that is my clear wish, that will make me very satisfied, considering even whatever," Cardoso said.

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He went further, outlining his vision for the overall tone of the contest between the two rivals. "I hope we give a good example about how football can be played between two rivals at the highest levels in terms of the sportsman spirit from the beginning until the end. How the teams relate, how they respect each other, how they respect their spaces on the stadium, because for sure, from the coaches from both sides there will be respect, and the players have no issues."

Cardoso also acknowledged that he had listened to opposing coach Abdeslam Ouaddou on the subject of the image both clubs should project. "That will be for sure the image. I heard coach Ouaddou about the image, we also want to leave for the country, at this stage we know how things should go."

**Cardoso's Stance on Officiating Standards**

This is not the first occasion on which Cardoso has drawn attention to the standard of refereeing in South African football. The Portuguese tactician has previously been among the most vocal advocates for the introduction of Video Assistant Referees (VAR), arguing that the technology would raise the overall level of the game domestically.

Both Sundowns and Pirates enter the final as the two most dominant clubs in South African football, and the trophy carries significant weight for either side's ambitions heading into the season.

Source: Briefly News