'History not a factor' - Miguel Cardoso on Al-Hilal clash | OneFootball

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Cardoso on previous results againt Hilal

Photo: Gallo Images

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso is not banking on the club's unbeaten record against Al-Hilal Omdurman in the CAF Champions League group stages.

The two teams, level on four points, will lock horns in matchday three at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Friday, with the top spot in Group C at stake.

Downs head into the match unbeaten in their last six group stage encounters against the Sudanese giants, but Cardoso is adamant history won't influence the outcome of the upcoming clash.

“I have to confess that we don't look at history - history belongs to the past. The history we need to worry about is the one history we have to write and when we prepare a match we never relate with whatever comes from the past except what the team has been doing in the last months,” he said.

"So, obviously we went to see their Champions League matches, we went to see few of their championship matches despite they play in the championship of Rwanda, where the level of some of the teams is quite low. We tried to pick the games where they had more [stronger] opposition.

"We understand very well their level. I also played against this team two years ago in the group stage when I was in Esperance. We won 1-0 in a very difficult game and another coach, only three players are still there - so a lot of movements. But this is a team that knows each other very well.

The Portuguese tactician acknowledged the attacking mentality Romanian mentor Laurentiu Reghecampf has instilled in the Al-Hilal team, citing their showing against MC Alger.

“It's a coach that has offensive mentality, he's a coach that prefers to win 4-3 rather than 1-0. So, we expect an Al-Hilal on the level they have been showing in the competition, they made a wonderful game against MC Alger at home, where they were very competitive,” Cardoso added.

"Obviously that Mamelodi Sundowns is not MC Alger, the way we play is different, so you expect a different game but we know what we have ahead and we know very well what we are capable to do. We have responsibilities and most of all, we have a will and a pressure that's very strong regarding what to do in the competition as you may imagine.

"So, the past speaks for the past, tomorrow a new page will be written. Let's hope it's similar to the previous ones but for that we have to sweat a lot, we have to put quality inside the pitch otherwise we will not do it. But I truly believe that we've done the right preparation on the context.