Sundowns Coach: 'We Didn't Have Enough Time'

Apr 1, 2025 - 09:58 am

By Soccer Laduma Writer

Sundowns Coach: 'We Didn't Have Enough Time'

Having edged Sekhukhune United 1-0 on Friday in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals after a rescheduled fixture, head coach Michael Cardoso expressed the importance of focus and managing recovery during this tight period. Speaking at the team's Chloorkop headquarters, Cardoso acknowledged the challenges of balancing form across competitions, a challenge he has often spoken about this season in context of their heavy fixture schedule.

"Any team that we could have faced would have been very tough to play against. This is the moment when we need to concentrate. Regarding recovery, everyone has recovered, and everyone will be able to play. We have had enough time to recover but we just didn't have enough time to prepare for the match which is completely different," said the Brazilians coach.

Cardoso also emphasized the need to rest key players and reduce training intensity to manage fatigue effectively.

"Yesterday and the day before we prepared for the match with the players that were available. As you might imagine the players that played 120 minutes joined the group today. But that doesn't take away much from the level we will put on the pitch because we have been working with the team for many months and at the moment we just need to get into the details of the tactical approach. We work on that in two to three days and with the meetings that we have had on analysis and the level of understanding that the players have from the past, the job is managing fatigue."

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Focusing on striking a balance, Cardoso explained the team's approach to staying fit and sharp.

"Managing fatigue is training less and more on recovery. That is what we need and the team will for sure be ready for a good game for tomorrow and the next game. Our focus is always on putting ourselves in the best position in each competition," Cardoso observed.

With high stakes and a demanding schedule, the Brazilians are determined to maintain their impressive form and continue their pursuit of continental glory.