Mamelodi Sundowns coach Cardoso criticises Chippa venue switch ahead of Al Ahli tie

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says Chippa United’s decision to change the venue for Saturday’s match has seriously disrupted his side’s preparations for their Fifa Intercontinental Cup meeting with Saudi Arabian giants Al Ahli.

Sundowns were due to play Chippa at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, but the fixture has been moved to Buffalo City Stadium in kuGompo City. Kick-off is at 5.30pm.

The change means Sundowns will remain in East London after the match, rather than returning to Johannesburg in time for the planned start of their preparations for the Intercontinental Cup fixture at Loftus on 19 September.

Cardoso criticised the decision after Sundowns beat struggling Siwelele FC 3-0 on Wednesday.

“I just want you to understand that the change of venue completely disrupts our preparation for the Intercontinental Cup,” he said.

“The match venue was changed, and we cannot travel on the same day back to Johannesburg or in the morning the following day because we only have a flight at 5pm on Sunday.

“After the match, we are going to stay at the hotel in East London looking at each other in the face, maybe we will take a walk on the beach. Because of this, we cannot travel back and we don’t have the right conditions to prepare for the match [against Al Ahli].”

Cardoso had intended to give his players two days away from football before beginning preparations for the continental fixture. Instead, they will have to remain in East London until their flight on Sunday afternoon.

“I had planned to give my players two days off to be with their families before we start preparations for the match. They are expecting to spend Sunday with their families, but they will be in East London until 5pm,” he added.

The coach said the altered schedule would also affect his ability to manage the squad’s training programme, particularly for players who are not selected to face Chippa.

“Players who are not going to play against Chippa will not have a chance for a top-up training session, and those are the conditions that we are faced with. It is not like this anywhere,” Cardoso said.

He also questioned the practice of changing home venues during the season and suggested it could create doubts about the reasons behind such decisions.

“At the beginning of the season, each team nominates their home venue, and you don’t change according to your interests. You don’t play one team on this pitch, and you take another team somewhere else,” he said.

“When these things happen, you allow people to be suspicious. In Portugal, Porto, Benfica and Sporting play at one stadium, and those stadiums are always ready whether there are thunderstorms or something else because people take care of those stadiums.

“If we don’t move in that direction, suspicions will always be there.”