Miguel Cardoso reveals strategy to prepare injured Bafana stars

Miguel Cardoso reveals strategy to prepare injured Bafana Bafana stars.

Sundowns coach Cardoso has shared an exciting and detailed strategy to get Themba Zwane and Mothobi Mvala ready for action after long injury lay offs. As the CAF Champions League reaches its crucial quarter-final stage, Cardoso is focused on getting his injured players back to competitive fitness.

Zwane has struggled with an Achilles injury since October of last year, while Mvala has not played for Sundowns since December, when he faced AS FAR Rabat in the CAF Champions League. Both players are key figures for Sundowns, and Cardoso is determined to have them ready as soon as possible. The club is gearing up for a tense quarter-final encounter against Esperance, with the first-leg match scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at Loftus Versveld Stadium in Pretoria.

Cardoso’s game plan for Zwane and Mvala’s fitness

On Monday morning, the Sundowns squad, including Zwane and Mvala, took part in a crucial training session to prepare for the upcoming showdown. Cardoso gave an update on the fitness status of both players.

“Regarding the players that are still out of the group, Themba is almost there,” Cardoso said. “But, he’s still not in a condition to participate in this match and not even in the second one.”

Despite the delay in their return, Cardoso remains optimistic about their recovery. He continued, “But also Mothobi [Mvala] and [Lebo] Mothiba. Indeed, we feel that they are quite close. We feel that they are quite close, for you to be clear. We are now in the moment where they have already trained 100% with the group, with the exception of Mothiba, Rivaldo [Coetzee], and young [Siyabonga] Mabena.”

Training, friendly matches, and the path to competitive play

Cardoso emphasized that while Zwane and Mvala are close to being match-fit. They need more preparation before stepping into official matches. “They are training with the group. Now we’re going to prepare to give them a stimulus of the game, not official games. Because they should not participate in an official game before they have had the chance to play in a friendly,” Cardoso explained.

As part of their preparations, both players will take part in simulated match situations. “During this period of time that we’re going to play Esperance. There are two competition moments that they will be submitted to,” Cardoso detailed. “Tomorrow [Tuesday], they will make in the morning a situation in full pitch with some players from the [DStv] Diski [Challenge] team. And then when we fly to Tunisia, there will be a friendly match where they are going to play against a team. And we will invite them to come to play with us.”

Can Zwane and Mvala make their mark in the CAF CL semis?

Should Sundowns advance to the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League, Zwane and Mvala are expected to play a key role. With Cardoso’s focused approach to their rehabilitation, it seems likely they will be ready to make an impact soon.

By strategically preparing Zwane and Mvala for action. Sundowns aims to capitalize on their skill and experience in the crucial stages of the Champions League. Fans eagerly await their return to the field as Sundowns looks to progress further in Africa’s premier club competition.

Stay tuned with The South African as Miguel Cardoso reveals strategy to prepare injured Bafana Bafana stars.

Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.

Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.