Miguel Cardoso discusses Themba Zwane's chances of going to 2025 AFCON with Bafana Bafana, explains how Mamelodi Sundowns are 'careful' in handling the injury-prone veteran midfielder

Mamelodi Sundowns captain Themba Zwane is recovering after suffering a thigh injury in August.

That was a huge setback for the player who had come back after recovering from a torn Achilles tendon.

Masandwana coach Miguel Cardoso has explained how they have been handling Zwane, who risks missing out on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals. 

"If you ask my expectations and my wishes, my wish is that Themba will go," says Cardoso as per KickOff.
"Obviously, on being healthy and with the respect and love that we have for Themba Zwane, we cannot wish anything more than the health of the highest.  
"He is not a youngster anymore, despite that he has seen a lot of flame, pleasure and will to play football at the highest level.  That’s for sure what allows him to be a player that can perform," added the Portuguese.
"So, we need to bring him back to competition and from there open his possibilities for the national team. That is what we will do here with the medical, performance, and technical departments.

"On training, soon, let’s hope. We saw him training separately from the group, which means he is still not available on the coach’s side.  He is not yet at the moment of returning to performance; he is doing physical activity to play football," said the former Esperance coach.
"One thing we need to understand is that Themba Zwane had an injury and then was followed up by a second one, so we need to be very careful if we really want to give him conditions to play football this season and help Mamelodi Sundowns and after Bafana Bafana if the coach decides so," Cardoso said.  
"…we need to be patient enough not to risk all, but we take it to the limit so that we improve his condition to be available for us and Bafana Bafana, and I repeat if the coach decides so.”

Zwane will be a spectator when Masandawana host Orlando Pirates in a Premier Soccer League match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

After he recovers from his latest injury setback, he will hope to not be rusty and in good shape so that Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos can take him to the Afcon.