Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi doesn’t think his team's CAF Champions League group is the toughest, saying all the groups are tough.
Sundowns are in Group B alongside Botola Pro league champions Raja Casablanca, AS FAR (both of Morocco) and Maniema Union of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“All the groups are very tough. I hear people say our group is the toughest but look at the [Al] Ahly one with [Orlando] Pirates, [CR] Belouizdad and Stade D’Abidjan,” Mngqithi explained to Sundowns media department.
“You look at our group, AS FAR and Raja are the two teams that have been doing well in Morocco in the last maybe three seasons. AS FAR were one of the best teams for them last season. Then you go to the Esperance group where they have Pyramids [and] Djoliba, a team I have never seen.
“Generally, all these groups present a difficulty for anyone but be it as it may, if you want to win it, you want to play these kinds of matches.”
Mngqithi highlighted that AS FAR and Raja will give them problems in their group, but added they will be up for the challenge. “It will be very difficult to know which team is going to be tough between AS FAR and Raja because AS FAR has been on the rise. They have done well in the recent past,” he said.
‘All Champs League groups are tough'
Downs coach wary of challenge by Moroccan duo of AS FAR and Raja
Image: ALCHE GREEFF
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi doesn’t think his team's CAF Champions League group is the toughest, saying all the groups are tough.
Sundowns are in Group B alongside Botola Pro league champions Raja Casablanca, AS FAR (both of Morocco) and Maniema Union of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“All the groups are very tough. I hear people say our group is the toughest but look at the [Al] Ahly one with [Orlando] Pirates, [CR] Belouizdad and Stade D’Abidjan,” Mngqithi explained to Sundowns media department.
“You look at our group, AS FAR and Raja are the two teams that have been doing well in Morocco in the last maybe three seasons. AS FAR were one of the best teams for them last season. Then you go to the Esperance group where they have Pyramids [and] Djoliba, a team I have never seen.
“Generally, all these groups present a difficulty for anyone but be it as it may, if you want to win it, you want to play these kinds of matches.”
Mngqithi highlighted that AS FAR and Raja will give them problems in their group, but added they will be up for the challenge. “It will be very difficult to know which team is going to be tough between AS FAR and Raja because AS FAR has been on the rise. They have done well in the recent past,” he said.
“Raja were one of the dominant teams previously and they went out and now they are back again at the expense of Wydad [Casablanca].
“Looking at how Raja performed last season, they did very well and broke a lot of records. But AS FAR were pipped to the championship in the latter stages. From where I'm sitting, it would be ignorant of us to think that AS FAR would be less difficult than Raja.”
Despite predicting Raja and AS FAR as teams to give them difficulties, Mngqithi, 53, said it would be foolish to take Maniema lightly.
“It’s banana skin because when we played them in 2021, they were a new team that we didn't even know about.
“When you see them in the group, you are saying that even when we played against them back then, they were not an easy team to play against.”
In October 2021, Downs overcame Maniema 4-2 on aggregate in a second preliminary round fixture to qualify for the group stages.
Sundowns will start their group matches against the same DRC opponent on November 26 at home.
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