Kekana calls for support as Sundowns juggle packed schedule

Mamelodi Sundowns defender Grant Kekana has detailed how the team manages the taxing schedule of juggling between the Betway Premiership and CAF Champions League commitments.

The Brazilians’ campaign has shifted into overdrive as the season reaches its decisive phase both domestically and on the continent.

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The first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Stade Malien will take place at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Friday night.

‘Sundowns is representing the country’

It will mark Sundowns’ fourth match in just 13 days across both competitions, with the club’s demanding supporters expecting the team to go all the way. Their head coach Miguel Cardoso has been outspoken about the congested fixture list, but Kekana was measured when asked how the squad copes with the workload.

“Since I’ve arrived at Sundowns, it has pretty much been the same. For us who have been here for quite some time, we’re used to it even though it’s taxing to the body,” he said.

“We’re also privileged to have people at the club that help us with recovery methods, the way the coach rests other players and the training sessions. So we’re trying to balance it out on our side and the cry is just for the country to be in support of us.

“We’re not only representing Sundowns but the country too. It’s taxing to the body but we don’t let it dictate how we show up in games. We understand that we have to show up and we’re just crying out for support.”

Little is known about the Malian champions, who have emerged as one of the surprise packages in Africa’s premier club competition this season after topping their group ahead of Espérance of Tunisia.

Sundowns confident ahead of Malien clash

Nevertheless, Sundowns have every reason to be confident ahead of the clash in front of their supporters. They head into the encounter on the back of four successive league victories.

“As players, we’re good spirits. We have been on a good run and the confidence is high and we know the stakes are high especially at this stage of the champions league,” said Kekana.

“We know what is expected of us and we have prepared well and everyone will go into the game fully focused and knowing what’s at stake. We’re confident about doing our best tomorrow (Friday).”

The composed defender also brushed aside questions about his Bafana Bafana future after missing out on selection for the two international friendlies against Panama later this month.

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“My primary focus is Mamelodi Sundowns because they are the ones that give me a platform to get selected for the national team,” he concluded.