Morena admires Esperance's fans for their intimidating atmosphere, rating it among the best on the continent. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old versatile winger insisted that they won't be intimidated in any way in Tunis tomorrow.
"They've one of the best supporters that I've ever played in front of. I think the atmosphere will be great but they always like to light up the flames and explosives, we must not get intimidated by that at all,'' Morena said.
"Our mindset is a little bit different when we play Champions League. We are experienced enough to deal with hostile atmospheres...we know how passionate the supporters of these teams like Esperance are. The atmosphere at Esperance games is at the same level as that of Wydad and Al Ahly. Even with that, we will play our normal football and do our best."
Sundowns and Esperance have met only two times before, with the Tunisians winning the last meeting 2-1, in the group stages of the very tournament in June 2017 in Tunis. The first leg had finished goalless in Tshwane three weeks earlier.
The return fixture of this crucial semifinal tie is billed for Loftus Versfeld Stadium next Friday (8pm).
Morena plots Esperance's downfall in Tunis
Downs ready for intimidating atmosphere in CAF semifinal
Image: Lee Warren
Mamelodi Sundowns utility man Thapelo Morena has detailed how they anticipate will be Esperance's approach in the first leg of the CAF Champions League semifinals at Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Tunis tomorrow (9pm SA time).
Morena is adamant Esperance will start the game like a house of fire, utilising the wings to penetrate their rearguard. The Bafana Bafana international wants the Tunisians to be forced to come inside, instead of playing on the flanks.
"The first few minutes, they are going to come at us guns blazing because they're playing at home. They will go mostly on the sides as that's how they play...we saw that when we played Tunisia at the Afcon [with Bafana, who beat Tunisia with several Esperance players at the recent Afcon in Ivory Coast ].
"The most important thing for us is to try and close the sides and force them inside, where we have numbers,'' Morena stated.
Sundowns star Morena expects fireworks in packed stadium in Tunis
Morena admires Esperance's fans for their intimidating atmosphere, rating it among the best on the continent. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old versatile winger insisted that they won't be intimidated in any way in Tunis tomorrow.
"They've one of the best supporters that I've ever played in front of. I think the atmosphere will be great but they always like to light up the flames and explosives, we must not get intimidated by that at all,'' Morena said.
"Our mindset is a little bit different when we play Champions League. We are experienced enough to deal with hostile atmospheres...we know how passionate the supporters of these teams like Esperance are. The atmosphere at Esperance games is at the same level as that of Wydad and Al Ahly. Even with that, we will play our normal football and do our best."
Sundowns and Esperance have met only two times before, with the Tunisians winning the last meeting 2-1, in the group stages of the very tournament in June 2017 in Tunis. The first leg had finished goalless in Tshwane three weeks earlier.
The return fixture of this crucial semifinal tie is billed for Loftus Versfeld Stadium next Friday (8pm).
Mokwena expects hostility at Espérance in CAF tie
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