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

Interview

Cardoso on previous results against Hilal

Photo: Gallo Images

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso is not putting much weight on the club's unbeaten run against Al-Hilal Omdurman in previous CAF Champions League group stage encounters.

Both teams, tied on four points, are set to face off in a crucial matchday three showdown at Loftus Versfeld Stadium this Friday, with pole position in Group C up for grabs.

The Brazilians head into the contest boasting an unbeaten record from their last six group fixtures against the Sudanese powerhouses, but Cardoso insists past results won't play a role in Friday's outcome.

“I have to admit that we don’t focus on history—history is in the past. The only history that matters now is the one we’re about to write. When we prepare for a match, we don’t look at what happened before, other than the team’s recent form over the last few months,” he said.

"So, of course we’ve analysed their Champions League games, and also looked at a few of their league matches—even though they play in the Rwandan championship, where the standard of some teams is pretty low. We tried to focus on the games where they faced stronger opponents.

"We understand their level very well. I’ve also faced this team two years ago in the group stages when I was at Esperance. We won 1-0 in a tough match, but there’s a different coach now and only three players remain from that side—a lot has changed. Still, this is a team with strong cohesion."

The Portuguese tactician acknowledged the attacking mindset Romanian coach Laurentiu Reghecampf has brought to Al-Hilal, referencing their impressive display against MC Alger.

“He’s a coach with an attacking mentality—he’d rather win 4-3 than 1-0. So we expect Al-Hilal to play at the level they’ve shown in this competition. They put on a fantastic performance at home against MC Alger, showing real competitiveness,” Cardoso added.

"But clearly, Mamelodi Sundowns is not MC Alger. Our style is different, so it’ll be a different kind of game, but we know what lies ahead and we know exactly what we’re capable of. We have responsibilities, and above all, we have a strong desire and pressure to deliver in this competition—as you can imagine.

"So, the past is the past. Tomorrow, a new chapter gets written. Hopefully, it’ll be as positive as the previous ones, but to achieve that, we’ll have to work extremely hard and show our quality on the pitch—otherwise, it won’t happen. But I truly believe we’ve prepared the right way for this challenge."