Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp admits that it’s ‘very painful’ to lose Samir Nurkovic for their upcoming clash with Mamelodi Sundowns.

The Serbian striker picked up his fourth yellow card during Amakhosi’s 1-1 draw with Stellenbosch FC at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday evening.

Nurković will now serve a one-match suspension and miss Chiefs’ mouthwatering Absa Premiership fixture against Pitso Mosimane’s side.

‘I was quite impressed, putting the TV on in the morning and seeing that the main target was talking about how many players Kaizer Chiefs have on yellow cards,’ Middendorp told the media after the game.

‘So, I don’t know actually, is it by accident? I haven’t seen it before that it was so highlighted and the issue of the entire news starting in the morning until the end and now OK, Samir Nurkovic with a simple and easy one against one, he gets a yellow card in the final minutes.

‘Is it by accident or is it something which can happen? But we take it, we deal with it but it is irritating when you see this process that it starts in the morning and it gets discussed.

‘It is a huge loss, there is no doubt about it, at the moment, we must look at how to find a solution. As we know, certain players in particular in the forward movement are not on their best. Let me try to find solutions inside the squad we have, in which way we can strategise it, but it is definitely something that it is very painful for us.’