CAF Champions League

We have depth – Mokwena says Sundowns are covered for Saavedra, Sirino injuries

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Erwin Saavedra Flores of Mamelodi Sundowns challenged by Bakhit Khamis Mohamed of Al Merrikh during their CAF Champions League clash

With Gaston Sirino and new signing Erwin Saavedra set to miss Mamelodi Sundowns’ clash with Al Ahly in the Caf Champions League this weekend, Downs co-coach Rulani Mokwena insists his side have the depth and are prepared for injuries.

Saavedra was forced off in the first half of Sundowns’ CAF Champions League group A tie against Sudanese outfit Al Merrikh and has joined a growing injury list at Downs with Pavol Safranko, Gift Motupa and Gaston Sirino all doubts for the clash.

The Brazilians come into the game top of the group thanks to their opening-day win over Al-Hilal, but failed to score against Al Merrikh in a goalless draw where they had 12 shots but couldn’t find the back of the net.

With Peter Shalulile’s goals seemingly dried up for now, Downs may have cause for concern heading into this weekend’s clash with the defending champions, who opened their group-stage campaign in a 1-1 draw with Al-Hilal this past Friday.

Speaking ahead of the clash, Mokwena insisted his side are prepared for the situation.

“It’s just unfortunate that the Saavedra injury forced us to change the structure a little bit. That compromised our high press a bit. [Thabiso] Kutumela came on and did his best to try to help the team.

“The reality is that we still have possibilities and depth within the squad. We’ve got to find the solutions. That’s why we are here as coaches. If we have no possibilities of using the strikers, that is the situation that is presented to us and therefore we’ve got to find different solutions to the problems.

“We worked on certain things in this break that we had, that in a different formation and structural attack, to try to see whether we could play a different way without some of our strikers. In the game against TS Galaxy, a friendly at Chloorkop, we worked on different schemes, different organisational forms and we were able to find a bit of joy.

“But it is what it is. It depends on how you want to look at it. I always say life is about perspective. It depends on which pair of glasses you want to use. You can look at it as a crisis, but sometimes that does not help you. When you look from the negative perspective, you are stuck in the possibilities of not even trying to find solutions. We try to be solution-based leaders.”