Benni McCarthy has hinted that he could select veteran midfield enforcer Teko Modise when Cape Town City clash with Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semifinal first leg at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

The 35-year-old has not featured for the Citizens since the opening game of the season and was an unused substitute in Saturday's 0-0 home draw with Lamontville Golden Arrows.

The helter-skelter pace of that match and, at times, the lack of quality on the ball was crying out for an artist like Modise, and McCarthy suggested he might have brought on the former Bafana Bafana star were it not for an injury to Surprise Ralani that forced the winger off early in the second half.

"Now we will look how we can mix things up and get Teko back in there," McCarthy said, adding he was not saving Modise for Saturday's MTN8 semifinal.

"My priority is always the game we are playing because it is important to always win. If I wasn't forced to make the Surprise change, and to improvise and bring on [Riyaad] Norodien, he might have played.

"If not for the forced change, I probably would have had Teko in there, just in terms of getting balls into [attacker Ayanda] Patosi quicker."

McCarthy said it was highly doubtful Ralani will make the weekend, a blow for City.

The 30-year-old just stopped playing when he had the ball with what looked like a muscle problem.

"For me those are the worst, when players stop by themselves. Then you know it is serious and my first impression is that it is a torn muscle," McCarthy said.

"We will have to assess and see whether he is available, but I highly doubt that he will be."