Miguel Cardoso hits out at Sundowns supporters, dismisses favouritism claims | OneFootball

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Cardoso slams pre-match jeering, denies claims of favouritism

Photo: Darren Stewart/ Gallo Images

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has condemned the Masandawana faithful for booing the players in the pre-match of their Betway Premiership win over AmaZulu on Tuesday.

The defending champions edged Usuthu 1-0 in Durban, thanks to a late goal from substitute Marcelo Allende, which saw Downs move to the summit of the table with 38 points - level with Orlando Pirates.

Prior to the kick-off, Sundowns players were jeered during the warm-ups - this after their Nedbank Cup Round of 16 elimination by TS Galaxy over the weekend, much to the discontent of Cardoso.

“We need to be supported and I want to say that today [Tuesday] I saw something that I have never seen and I didn't like. I didn't like to see the players of Sundowns being booed on the warm-ups. I think the Masandawana family needs to keep together every time,” he asserted.

"These players players work a lot, they don't deserve to enter the pitch, to make a warm-up in a match like this and being booed or being asked to be substituted.

The Portuguese mentor went on to address claims of favouritism towards his compatriots Nuno Santos and Miguel Reisinho, stressing that his players are treated equally despite nationality or skin colour.

“The coach of Sundowns doesn't have any son in the team, the coach of Sundowns relates with the strategies and the moments and the players available, and gives energy to everybody the same way, not because one is Portuguese or South American, or South African, or white, or black, or yellow, or whatever - we don't relate with that," Cardoso added.

"That is something we overcame many years ago. Since I was born my family gave me the education to look at people as human beings, not different from any kind of reason. And I think it's very important that people understand that.

"So, it's also common because I know that people say a lot that I have privileges in the team - there's no privileges. Today Miguel [Reisinho] stayed out of the team, Nuno [Santos] entered from the bench and helped a lot. What we need is to relate with the moments. There are moments for ones, there are moments for the others and that's what we do.

"Believe me, what I want is the best for Mamelodi Sundowns and it's a hard work we do together everyday and if the family of the supporters together with the players, we understand the way we are doing we can achieve good things still, but we need to be committed with everybody together.