Miguel Cardoso focused on Mamelodi Sundowns’ CAF semi-final edge despite Tunisia return

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is thrilled to be back in Tunisia to face Espérance de Tunis, where he forged fond memories and strong relationships, but his focus is on helping his side take an advantage into the CAF Champions League semi-final second leg.

Sundowns face Esperance in the first leg at Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Tunis on Sunday night (9pm kick-off).

This is a club and venue Cardoso knows well. During his stint with Esperance, he won the league title and reached the Champions League final, including eliminating Sundowns 2-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals.

His exploits that season earned him a move to Sundowns after leaving the Tunisian giants. He has since made his mark with the Brazilians, winning the league and reaching the Champions League final last season, including overcoming Esperance 1-0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

This marks the third successive season the two sides meet in the competition. Cardoso has relished being back in the Tunisian capital, reconnecting with friends and former colleagues, but insists his priority remains the task at hand.

“It’s an important and significant moment to be back here, even though it’s not the ideal way to meet friends,” said Cardoso. “When you meet friends, you want to enjoy it. But now I am here as the coach of Sundowns, and my focus is on preparing for this match.

“I am happy to be back in Tunisia and to see people I have fond memories with. But the most important thing is my job, and that’s how I have to carry myself going forward. So I am highly focused on that.”

Cardoso is understandably focused on the match, with this a crucial campaign for him in the Champions League. He will be eager to go one step further after back-to-back final defeats in recent seasons.

The Portuguese coach has urged his players to stick to the game plan and preparations to secure a positive result away from home.

“It’s an important match, but it’s the first of two and nothing will be decided here,” he said. “We need to understand how best to approach a game with a special context and style.

“It’s not really important to focus on results; they should be a consequence of what we do during the match. We must concentrate on that, enjoy the moment and the atmosphere – this is what the Champions League is about here.

“We must not be influenced by it, but embrace it. We must focus on the tactical approach, be consistent throughout and be ready for the return leg.”

Given the history between the sides, Cardoso expects another tightly contested encounter over both legs in Tunis and Pretoria next Saturday.

“I analyse these matches from both sides,” he said. “All four previous games were tactically different, but the competitiveness was similar, with very little room for mistakes.

“It’s important that teams remain focused throughout, knowing the result will play a big role in preparing for the second leg. Mentally, I don’t think coaches worry about the team’s commitment.”