Sundowns set sights on Caf Champions League title

With the Caf Champions League group stages draw coming up next week Wednesday in Cairo, Mamelodi Sundowns are already plotting a way to win their second Caf Champions League title.

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Masandawana, who won the continental title in 2016, powered through to the group phase after beating Seychelles side La Passe 15-1 on aggregate in the qualifiers last month.

Sundowns were untouchable in last season’s group stages, winning five of their six group games. However, they suffered embarrassing exit at the hands of Angolan side Petro Atletico in the knockouts, and Downs head coach, Rulani Mokwena says this time around, they want to navigate differently.

“We were undefeated in the group stages and in the season before we had only one defeat. Once you get to the group stages it is a completely different competition. It takes a league format and therefore you need to calculate the number of points that you need and try to get the business done,” said Mokwena.

“The first objective for us now is to get enough points to qualify and as soon as we know that we have qualified then the next objective is to finish first.

“And then from there you try to work your way though because after that you have to see who is number one and number two in the other groups and what it entails in terms of travelling. You also need to ask yourself if you want to play the first-leg at home or away and you try to map a journey from there,” the Sundowns mentor added.

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Bafana Ba Style carry the stigma of winning the Champions League in 2016 through the back door after they were reinstated in the competition following the disqualification of ES Setif. The Chloorkop camp are looking to get rid of that blemish.

“The interesting thing is that when we won the Champions League in 2016 we finished first in the group and the last couple of years we also finished first. That is a detail that we are playing around in our heads because as much as you need luck, you need a lot of preparation and attention to detail to win the Champions League. But first thing first.”