Africa-Press – South-Africa. The deafening noise of 75,000 supporters will create an intimidating atmosphere inside the Cairo International Stadium, but visiting Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says they won’t be intimidated.
The Brazilians take on Al Ahly in their crunch Champions League semifinal second leg clash on Friday night which must produce a winner to determine the finalist against Orlando Pirates or Pyramids.
Speaking at the stadium ahead of the hugely anticipated clash, Cardoso urged his players to rise to the occasion and silence the usually partisan and intimidating crowd.
“That’s how we want to live our lives. We come from a moment of pleasure where we enjoy the ambience. I played here last year and the stadium was full and we enjoyed it.
“We feel stronger and let’s hope we can silence the crowd who will be whistling at us. We live our lives for moments like this. We will come with big enthusiasm and not any kind of fear.
“The atmosphere is strong inside the stadium but there is no violence. It will be a wonderful experience,” said Cardoso, adding players knows how to handle the pressure.
“I will try to use a metaphor to make you understand that when you are doing your job in your newspaper, TV or at home writing a report or a book, you enter a state of mind where you are in a flow and you forget everything around you.
“When we play football, it’s the same. When I am a coaching, I concentrate on the pitch and I don’t see anyone around me. It is the same for players. When they start playing football, they forget everything.
“Maybe when there is a corner or a player is injured, there is a moment where they look around them — but when you play, you forget everything. It is like you are playing without people around and that is the state of mind of the players.”
Cardoso attended the press conference with young defender Malibongwe Khoza, who is untested at this level.
“My teammates told me about playing in a packed stadium. They said they are going to boo and whistle at us. But it is a privilege to play in a crowded stadium. Every player wants to play in that type of environment,” said Khoza.
“Senior players told me not to panic and I don’t feel any pressure to be playing in those situations.”
Cardoso said most of his players are used to playing in hostile conditions while explaining the mistake he made at Loftus, saying the crowd was not good last weekend.
“In Tunisia, Morocco or South Africa — or everywhere we play in the Champions League — it is a pleasure to play in packed stadiums.
“In South Africa I made a mistake because it was not full when I entered the stadium, but it got full. When I entered the pitch, I looked at the stands and it was not full, but it got full as the match went on.
“Playing at Loftus with a lot of people or here in Egypt, Tunisia or Morocco — that’s what we love.
“We are in the second leg and it is a story to be finished — and this is the moment the team needs to play their football. Teams must take care of details but they have to play their football to get the result — and that’s what we are here for.”
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