After a disappointing CAF Champions League campaign that ended with Mamelodi Sundowns being knocked out from the quarterfinal this past season, chairman Tlhopie Motsepe is positive they will do better next year by going all the way and winning it.

Motsepe said they learnt from their mistakes this past season, which saw them being eliminated by Angola’s Petro de Luanda in the quarterfinal and will go all out next year to make sure they win it.

The Champions League was the only trophy Sundowns failed to win in all competitions after securing a treble (MTN8, DStv Premiership and Nedbank Cup).

“I think we have to be bold and say as Sundowns we want to be successful in the Champions League and we want to win that title,” Motsepe told the media during Sundowns’ youth internship programme launched by the club in partnership with the Student Village.

The project is aimed at providing the youth with the opportunity to gain work experience and unique soft skills at Chloorkop. It will start on Wednesday and will run for five months from August to December.

It will see the club open its doors and begin a search for five eager interns for positions in TikTok content creator, photography, production video editor, journalist and marketing activation.

“Last season was a bit of a disappointment how we exited. But I think there were a lot of positives that we can draw from the way the club performed, the games that we played and the opponents that we faced. It is about us making sure that when we start the season, we always start fairly strong. Even last season, we started very strongly. We already bagged the MTN8 and that had a positive effect on the team.

“I think we need to make sure that as soon as we get out of that group stage, the mentality shifts and becomes a little bit more ruthless. I know that our coaches and our sporting director are working already thinking about how we can improve where we need to be. So we are very positive and optimistic about the season ahead.”

Motsepe said he was pleased with the attitude of new signing Sipho Mbule, whom he said is working hard at training while the rest of the team is currently on holiday.

“I think already his mind is saying that he wants to make a good impression on his teammates and on the coaches. His mind is already looking in that direction, but it’s not the chairman's job to get a player to think in a certain way or take the club seriously. It starts with the player.”