PRETORIA: Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has sought to defuse tensions surrounding an alleged altercation involving his assistant coach, Steve Komphela, and Wiliete SC coach Beto Bianchi, insisting the controversy will not distract his team from Friday’s decisive CAF Champions League encounter.
The Brazilians host the Angolan side at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, with a place in the competition’s group stage at stake following a goalless draw in Sunday’s first leg in Lubango.
However, much of the build-up to the return fixture has been overshadowed by allegations of a confrontation between Komphela and Bianchi shortly after the final whistle at the Estádio Nacional da Tundavala.
While Wiliete have indicated their intention to lodge a complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Cardoso believes the incident has attracted more attention than necessary and should not overshadow the football.
Komphela and Bianchi incident sparks controversy
According to Angolan state broadcaster Rádio Nacional de Angola, Bianchi was allegedly struck by a member of the Sundowns technical team following a heated exchange after Sunday’s match.
Wiliete vice-president Vitorino Vissele claimed the Brazilian coach sustained injuries, including what he described as “a blow to a sensitive area”.
Bianchi reportedly received medical attention at the stadium before being taken to hospital. He has since been discharged.
However, the circumstances surrounding the confrontation remain disputed.
According to SuperSport, Komphela claimed he reacted after allegedly being subjected to racist remarks, insults in Portuguese and being spat at.
Neither Bianchi nor Wiliete had publicly responded to those specific allegations at the time of reporting.
Wiliete have indicated that they intend to refer the matter to CAF, with Vissele condemning the alleged confrontation.
“It is something that should not happen, especially when we are talking about two professional teams,” he said.
Any disciplinary proceedings are expected to take into account the match commissioner’s report and other evidence relating to the incident.
Cardoso: The incident has received too much attention
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday afternoon, Cardoso attempted to shift attention away from the controversy and towards the decisive second leg.
The Portuguese coach acknowledged that emotions can sometimes run high in football but argued that the incident should not be allowed to overshadow the relationship between the two clubs.
“I think it got too much attention for what happened. Football has a lot to do with emotions. They sometimes drop out of the glass, it doesn’t mean the glass is broken,” Cardoso said.
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He also praised the reception Sundowns received during their visit to Angola, suggesting that the confrontation had not damaged relations between the clubs.
“As a club we were very well received in Angola, having a beautiful talk with the coach to maintain strong relations,” he said.
Cardoso dismissed suggestions that tensions from the first leg could spill over into Friday’s encounter.
“Everything is overcome. There will be no extra energy other than inside the pitch. Let’s not make a big noise of something that is very small,” he added.
His comments signal Sundowns’ determination to keep their preparations focused on football, although Wiliete’s proposed complaint means the matter could still attract CAF’s attention.
Morena demands improved performance at Loftus
With the controversy dominating headlines, Sundowns defender Thapelo Morena has urged his teammates to concentrate on delivering the performance needed to secure qualification.
The South African champions were unable to find a breakthrough in Angola despite entering the tie as favourites.
Sunday’s goalless draw leaves the contest finely balanced, with Sundowns needing to make home advantage count.
Morena believes the team has moved beyond reflecting on missed opportunities and must now focus on executing its game plan.
“I think we have passed the stage where we will speak about knowing how to deal with the moments. So now in this stage of giving everything to the team, because we have already passed the stage of we might have, we could have,” Morena said.
He stressed that the squad understands the importance of Friday’s encounter and the responsibility that comes with playing in front of their supporters.
“The point that we got, we know how important it is and what we need to do here at home. We know that we want to put our level best in the game on Friday.”
Morena also expressed confidence in the team’s preparations, saying the technical staff had used the days following the first leg to address areas requiring improvement.
“The training session today went very well. The things that we saw that we can work on after the past game, it’s what we’ve been doing,” he said.
His comments underline the importance of turning preparation into results, particularly after Sundowns failed to score in Angola.
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Sundowns’ title defence hangs in the balance
Friday’s encounter carries significant weight for Sundowns, who are seeking to defend the continental title they won in May.
The Pretoria outfit defeated Morocco’s AS FAR 2-1 on aggregate to claim their second CAF Champions League crown, ten years after their historic first triumph in 2016.
However, their latest campaign now faces an early test against a Wiliete side that demonstrated its ability to frustrate the South African champions in the opening leg.
With the tie level at 0-0, Sundowns know that victory by any margin will secure their passage to the group stage.
Another goalless draw would send the contest to a penalty shootout, while a score draw would see Wiliete advance on the away-goals rule, under the competition format described for the tie.
That leaves little room for complacency.
Sundowns must find a way through Wiliete’s defence without exposing themselves unnecessarily at the back.
For Cardoso, the challenge is not only to secure qualification but also to ensure that the controversy involving his assistant does not disrupt the team’s concentration.
The Brazilians will be expected to take the initiative on home soil, where their attacking quality and experience in continental competition could prove decisive.
Wiliete, meanwhile, arrive in Pretoria knowing that a scoring draw would be enough to eliminate the defending champions.
All eyes on Friday’s decider
The return leg promises to test Sundowns’ composure as much as their attacking ability.
After failing to score away from home, the defending champions must produce a more clinical performance while remaining alert to the threat of conceding an away goal.
Morena’s call for the team to give its best reflects the urgency within the Sundowns camp, where anything short of qualification would represent a major setback to their continental ambitions.
For Cardoso, Friday also presents an opportunity to move the conversation away from the confrontation in Angola and back towards his team’s football.
The CAF Champions League second leg between Mamelodi Sundowns and Wiliete SC is scheduled to kick off at 20:00 on Friday at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
