Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has called for the referees to be strong in the Caf Champions League semi-final second leg against Wydad Casblanca in order to handle all the emotions.

Sundowns host the Moroccan side at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and will go into the encounter trailing 2-1 on aggregate after their defeat in Rabat last Friday.

Downs and Wydad have become familiar foes in recent seasons and emotions boiled over in their group stage clash earlier on in the competition, where Mosimane’s charges claimed a famous 2-1 win over their North African opponents.

With a spot in the Caf Champions League final up for grabs on Saturday, Mosimane is aware that the referee will play a big part in dealing with what promises to be an emotional match.

‘It’s a football game with emotions, heated emotions, pressure, and we need strong referees.

‘The referees have been good in the Caf. I praised them in Rabat before the match. I was a little bit worried about the referee from Botswana in Rabat, and the guy came out. I don’t know if the pressure of Cup of Nations, and that everybody wants to be there, but the guy came out,’ said Mosimane.

‘You saw in Alexandria with Ahly, he gave yellow cards if you misbehave both sides, so I can say we are starting to get proper standard of refereeing in Caf. It’s brilliant, and we feel good.’

Mosimane side do have the benefit of the away goal, which means they only need a 1-0 win to progress, but the former Bafana Bafana coach knows this will not make the game any easier.

‘I don’t know if we have an advantage. The only slight advantage we can talk about is that we scored away,’ said Mosimane during a press conference.

‘We have played each other so many times. The captain gave me his jersey in Rabat. We are just one family. The coach, I don’t know how many times we have greeted each other, more than coaches in South Africa,’ he concluded.