Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is coy on the availability of trio Aubrey Modiba, Bathusi Aubaas, and Teboho Mokoena for their crunch MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates, saying late medical reports will give them a clear direction.
Modiba, Aubaas, and Mokoena sustained injuries while away with the national team, Bafana Bafana, who won all three games against Guinea and Eritrea in the Afcon qualifiers, as well as the international friendly against Egypt.
The trio were involved in the fixtures as key players for Bafana. Coincidentally, they carry the same responsibilities for Sundowns, as Modiba is the starter at left-back, while Mokoena and Aubaas are first and second in the depth chart in central midfield.
While the trio were available for training with the rest of the squad on Wednesday morning at the club’s base in Chloorkop, that doesn’t mean they’ll be fully fit for the final against rivals Pirates – who happen to be seeking to extend their record four-consecutive title run.
“I want you to understand that I will never put in a player to play unless he’s 100% fit. Yesterday (Tuesday), we had the first evaluation on the players; they were seen by doctors,” said Cardoso, ahead of the clash at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night (6pm).
“Today (Wednesday), we will have a better opportunity to check them. I believe those cases will be (like that) until the last minute.
“I believe that we can’t take risks, especially on muscle injuries like the one that Aubrey (Modiba) and (Bathusi) Aubaas had. We can’t risk it by having the players in – just in case they are not ready. I am not saying they are not.
“There are signs that the evolution was pretty good. They were, especially, not diagnosed with major injuries.”
Mokoena was spotted training alone before Bafana’s last match against Egypt, but Cardoso is optimistic about his return. However, he has stressed the importance of looking beyond Saturday’s cup final.
“Teboho is also progressing. But let’s see – that will be a last minute decision,” Cardoso said.
“We don’t have to only think about this game, but what impact will this game have for the rest of the season. That’s obviously where I have to stand to make my own decision.”
Bafana’s coach Pitso Mosimane was mindful of player workloads ahead of the MTN8 final, revealing why they decided to manage minutes during the international window and rest some key players – for both Sundowns and Pirates – for the final.
Cardoso stressed before camp that the national team has his full support, while the club would assess any developments when the players returned. Amid discussions surrounding player availability, he maintained that what happens at national team level is separate from club level.
“As I said from the beginning, I support the national team coach and players when they are at work. You’ll never hear me commenting on the words of the national team coach. He’s the one that has to speak on his platform. I will speak on mine. That will ensure that nothing is ever, ever misunderstood,” Cardoso said.
