Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Nuno Santos insists the club cannot afford to dwell on recent disappointment as they prepare for what he described as their toughest challenge of the season.
Masandawana are gearing up for the first leg of the CAF Champions League final against AS FAR. They go into the game soon after a painful 3-2 defeat to TS Galaxy in the Betway Premiership earlier this week.
That defeat handed Orlando Pirates fresh hope in the title race and increased pressure on Miguel Cardoso’s side.
However, Santos says the focus inside the Sundowns camp has now completely shifted to continental football.
“Every game is difficult, not only this one, but all the previous matches in the Champions League were difficult,” Santos said.
“We know the responsibility that we have, and I think our focus has now moved to the first leg of the Champions League final. So we cannot do anything to change what happened before.”
Despite recent setbacks, the Portuguese midfielder reminded critics that Sundowns are still leading the Betway Premiership standings.
“We are top of the log right now — that’s what we know,” he said. “The players, the coach, and the club want to win this trophy so that we can give that joy to our supporters.”
Santos also admitted that Sundowns need to urgently fix their defensive issues after conceding seven goals in their last two matches.
The midfielder expects AS FAR to present a completely different challenge compared to previous opponents.
“They are different, and we expect a very physical game,” he explained. “We experienced many different environments this season — Mali, Nigeria, Congo, Tunis, and Algiers. Every team and every environment was different.
“But we are Mamelodi Sundowns, and we have to be ready for anything that comes our way in the final,” added Santos.