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Mamelodi Sundowns players take part in a training session.
This could be a season-defining week for Mamelodi Sundowns. The Brazilians will be hoping to get favourable results against AS FAR Rabat from Morocco in the CAF Champions League final first leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Sunday.
Midfielder Jayden Adams is hoping they win the CAF Champions League and also defend the league title.
Winning the Champions League also means they will qualify for the next edition of the FIFA Club World Cup.
“There is still hope we are still on top of the log so the pressure is on them, if we win the Champions League we qualify for club World Cup which will be a massive achievement for us.”
Sundowns lost the last four major cup finals they played in, including last season’s Champions League final to the Egyptians, Pyramids.
The Brazilians also played against AS FAR in the group stage last season, drawing home and away.
Defender Divine Lunga says they have learnt their lessons going into this season’s final.
“We have learnt so much on how the game is played in the champions league, they don’t play open game so we will try to go 50-50, normally we want to play and they just want to score and defend so we will try our best to match them, we played them last season but we will do our best this time.”
Sundowns have conceded a whopping seven goals in the last two games in the Betway Premiership which is major concern going into the final with an away goal rule.
Attacking midfielder Nuno Santos says they will try and rectify their defensive frailties.
“We have to review with the coaches what’s wrong with the mistakes that we did that we don’t want to repeat and train to get better at that point specific and move on.”
The Portuguese midfielder is also hoping the 2016 Champions will score as many goals as possible at home, but not concede to boost their chances of reaching the final.
“I think the best results is 20-0, but seriously we don’t want to suffer any goals but score goals, so that we go to Morocco with a good advantage.”
Grant Kekana is suspended for the first leg and Keanu Cupido is a doubtful starter after suffering a serious injury against Kaizer Chiefs recently.
Work in progress 💪#Sundowns #TotalEnergiesCAFCL #AreyengMasandawanaUntilItsDone pic.twitter.com/Su3JbPile8
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) May 14, 2026
