Mamelodi Sundowns star Aubrey Modiba concedes 'it's going to be tough; you can see the squad that Orlando Pirates have' before league resumes for crunch second round

Mamelodi Sundowns full-back Aubrey Modiba has stated that their Premier Soccer League rivals Orlando Pirates have a better squad and have an advantage in the title race. 

Bucs went into the break sitting top of the table with two more points than the Tshwane giants, and they also have a game in hand.

Modiba, who was with his Bafana Bafana in Morocco and got eliminated in the AFCON Round of 16 by Cameroon, has further conceded that Pirates have an advantage over Sundowns this season.

"It's tough. Pirates are doing well, and so are other teams. The reason we are behind is not collecting maximum points from other teams, and I think it's good for our league," said Modiba in Sandton, Johannesburg, during the Nedbank Cup last 32 draw.

"Teams are improving, players are improving, but you know we always want to be on top. It's going to be tough. You can see the squad that Pirates have. They've got depth, and they are not in the Champions League.

"Their full focus is going to be on the Nedbank Cup and the league. For us, it's to make sure we defend our title. It's not going to be an easy one this season."

With the league campaign set to resume next week, the question remains who benefited more. Pirates had more players in Morocco playing for the national side, followed by Sundowns.

Other PSL clubs used the break to engage in friendlies as preparation for the upcoming games. The focus will, however, be on the early title contenders as the season heads into a crucial stage.  

According to former Mamelodi Sundowns winger Lucas 'Makhokhoba' Sebona, Pirates are set to benefit from the break more than Sundowns.

"Definitely, there will be some changes when the PSL resumes, but Pirates and Sundowns will continue to dominate because most of their players are active in Morocco," Sebona said.

"Yes, it will catch up with them, but they have depth in their squads. The team that will suffer the most between the two is Sundowns. Pirates might escape because they are using a lot of youngsters.

"Youngsters can recover very quickly from fatigue. Sundowns have lost most of their star players; they are old now. It may take time for them to recover," he added. 

Although the Sea Robbers have been tipped to enjoy more advantage over Sundowns in the title race after the PSL break, former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana defender David Kannemeyer believes the Brazilians will win their ninth consecutive title. 

“I don’t think Pirates will knock Sundowns off. In recent seasons, they have been starting slow, but they will win the league because of the depth they have in their squad,” Kannemeyer argued.

“Sundowns have so much depth in their squad, and it’s not even funny because that makes them dominate. In my opinion, they will win the league again. I don’t think Pirates can stop them.

"I don’t think Sundowns need to sign players in January. They have enough firepower already. If they are to buy, maybe it should just be one player to bolster just one area, which the coach [Miguel Cardoso] feels needs some addition," he added.

“But I think at the moment they have too much firepower.”

Pirates will face Sekhukhune United, third on the table, on January 24, while Sundowns will play Orbit College on January 19.

Kaizer Chiefs have been scheduled to face Golden Arrows on January 20. After dropping points in two games before the break against Chippa United and TS Galaxy, they will be keen to resume the campaign on a winning note.