Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler is frustrated with their fixture programme.

City face Algerian side USM Alger in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup play-offs at Cape Town Stadium tomorrow (6pm). The Citizens are heading into this tie on the back of a 2-1 league defeat to Marumo Gallants in Polokwane on Saturday. Tinkler has sounded pessimistic about their chances against Alger, lamenting lack of proper preparation. 

"There's no time, there's no preparation time. I can't work miracles... I am not a miracle maker. If I've got one day to prepare for the game then I've got one day to prepare for the game. It's a big game and normally you would like at least a week to get yourself prepared,'' said Tinkler.

The second leg is in Algeria next Wednesday. The winner of this fixture secures a spot in the tournament's group stages. The Citizens have been off-form of late with a single win from their last five outings, where they lost four times, across all competitions. Tinkler has conceded their form is a worrying factor, urging his troops to change their mindset.

"I am getting concerned with our inconsistency. You can't be winning one week and not get the result the next week. Our mindset has to change. The mindset needs to change. You want to be involved in all these competitions, you have to change your mindset because if you have the mindset that we currently have, then I am sorry we are not going to cope in either [the league and the Confed Cup],'' Tinkler stated.

"It's going to affect us in both because you have two days between games... you get to the group stages and that problem will continue, so the mindset must change. We must all realise that this is not easy."

Meanwhile, Marumo Gallants take on Libyan side Al Ahly Tripoli in a similar assignment as City. The first leg is billed for Benina Martyrs Stadium in the city of Benina in Libya tomorrow (7pm SA time), while the return fixture is at Peter Mokaba Stadium the following Wednesday as well. 

Royal AM are also involved in the Confed Cup play-offs, facing Congolese giants TP Mazembe in the first leg away tomorrow (3pm SA time). The home leg is next Wednesday at Moses Mabhida Stadium.