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Sundowns will take heavy fixture schedule in their stride‚ says Mosimane

Pitso Mosimane coach of Mamelodi Sundowns during the Nedbank Cup Quarter Final Mamelodi Sundowns Conference on 28 March 2018 at PSL Offices.
Pitso Mosimane coach of Mamelodi Sundowns during the Nedbank Cup Quarter Final Mamelodi Sundowns Conference on 28 March 2018 at PSL Offices.
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Pitso Mosimane says Mamelodi Sundowns will take yet another heavy fixtures schedule‚ playing eight matches in 28 days starting with their Nedbank Cup quarterfinal against Cape Town City on Sunday‚ in their stride.

Sundowns' coach pointed out that his side are relatively conditioned to heavy schedules of matches due to their success in continental football‚ winning the 2016 Caf Champions League and going out in last year's quarterfinals.

"We've got eight games in 28 days. I looked at it and I said‚ 'Wow‚ what's happening now?'" Mosimane said.

"When you come into the final stages it's going to be tough. Things are going to happen‚ and things are happening.

"Some of the things you don't have to concentrate on. Because it tests your character‚ and it tests the character of my team.

"But one thing you must know is that we are not new to eight games in 28 days.

"I mean‚ it would be boring for me to justify that to you (the media). For the last three or four years Mamelodi Sundowns has had this sort of programme.

"That is why I said that if you want to run a Comrades Marathon‚ you cannot compare yourselves to us when you are running a 42km marathon.

"No. 42 and 90 is totally different. You must run the same race and then we can talk.

"We are not new to this heavy load programme. Sometimes we name it - 'Aluta Continua' or 'Against All Odds'. We can call it whatever we want to.

"Last year we did not make it. We lost the league by three points (to Bidvest Wits) with the same programme. The year before that we did make it (winning the 2015-16 PSL title)."

"So the programme just tests our characters and makes us a bigger team in terms of‚ 'Can you handle the load?'."

Sundowns meet City at Cape Town Stadium in Sunday's cup tie.

The league leaders return to action in the Absa Premiership against Chippa United at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday night.

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