Mamelodi Sundowns foreign signings blamed for CAF Champions League defeat to Al Hilal 'Miguel Cardoso wants to accommodate every player from overseas'

Mamelodi Sundowns strengthened their playing unit with the signing of the likes of Monnapule Saleng and Brayan Leon in the January transfer window.

The two arrived to add to a squad that had already been beefed up before the season began. Miguel Reisinho and Nuno Santos are the high-profile signings that the Brazilians acquired, and both have had some impact for the club.

Leon has also made his presence felt, but all the new signings, especially the foreigners, will be heavily judged at the end of the season. Many will wait to see whether they are long-term impactful signings or they will end up becoming one-season wonders.

Some foreigners have come and left indelible marks, and a recent case is Lucas Ribeiro, who helped Sundowns defend the Premier Soccer League title, became the league's top scorer and was named the PSL Player of the Season.

The Brazilian was also the PSL Players’ Player of the Season and PSL's Goal of the Season award winner.

Although his exit was controversial, his pivotal roles for Sundowns are not debatable, and the new signings will be judged, mainly in comparison with the Brazilian.

As Sundowns struggle in the Champions League, their overseas players have been blamed for failing to adapt to the extreme weather conditions in Africa.

In the 2-1 loss to Al Hilal, the players from outside Africa who played were Santos, Reisinho, Marcelo Allende, and Arthur Sales, who came on in the second half.

Former Downs attacker Sandile Ndlovu has also blamed the club's head coach, Miguel Cardoso, for rushing the players instead of letting them gel naturally.

“The loss was supposed to take place. The Sundowns players have not gelled yet. The weather in Africa might be too hot for the new players, especially for those players Sundowns have brought from overseas," Ndlovu told KickOff.

“Ninety percent of the players that should be used when playing in Africa are those with CAF experience. I remember even during our days, a white South African player would struggle in Africa because of the hot weather conditions.

“Friday's game proved that whatever Miguel Cardoso is trying to do is not the finished product yet. It still needs work. But Sundowns is not a team that still needs to build," he added.

“Cardoso is in trouble here after losing to a team that normally struggles to even get a draw, a team that is known for losing. It shows Cardoso still has a lot of work to do.

“The problem with Cardoso is that he wants to accommodate every player from overseas in his starting line-ups, forgetting it is their first time in Africa.

“He must do it slowly, starting by introducing them in the second half first. Players can buzz at training, but that is because at training, there is no pressure. Remember, you are playing against your teammates [at training].”

As his new signings have been blamed for the poor show, especially against Al Hilal, the former Esperance tactician thinks otherwise.

To Cardoso, fatigue is to blame after a recent defeat to Al Hilal that left their Champions League dream hanging by a thin thread.

“I remember last year we were unfortunately in a similar situation after the fourth match; we lost that game, and then we had a difficult fixture away that we played in Congo,” Cardoso said.

“This time it’s also a tough match to play in Congo against Lupopo, and that’s what big teams have to look ahead to.

“But before that match, we still have a cup match on Wednesday [against Gomora], unfortunately. We played three days ago. It was also clear in certain moments in the match that the team was much more tired than Al Hilal, which had just played against us," he added.

“Despite changing a few players in the team compared to the previous match, it was clear that we were tired. Despite it looking close, we had to make a trip... and it was clear in certain moments that the team was a little bit tired, and you feel that by the number of mistakes that you make.”

After four games, Downs are second with five points, three fewer than Al Hilal's. Rhulani Mokwena's MC Alger are third with the same points - four - as Saint-Eloi Lupopo of DR Congo.

Downs, who reached the Champions League final last season, must win their remaining matches against MC Alger and Lupopo if they are to reach the quarter-finals.