Miguel Cardoso opens up on Brayan Leon’s adaptation and highlights the challenge posed by Mamelodi Sundowns’ striking department

Brayan Leon has featured in all three Mamelodi Sundowns games since joining the team just a couple of weeks ago.

The 25-year-old striker has scored in two of those matches, quickly proving his worth and answering any lingering questions the fanbase may have had about the signing. His early impact has not only bolstered Sundowns’ attacking options but also helped him win the trust and admiration of supporters, signalling that he could be a key player as the club continues its domestic and continental campaigns.

While his coach, Miguel Cardoso, is impressed with his mindset, the Portuguese tactician also offered insight into how the goalscorer is settling in at the club.

Despite recent criticism from the Ka Bo Yellow fanbase and setbacks in the CAF Champions League, the 53-year-old coach has remained steadfast, showing his ability to guide the team in domestic affairs and fight to retain their champion status.

Following encouraging results against Sekhukhune, Cardoso shared with the media insights into the new recruit’s  adaptation at the club.

"Look when I came to Sundowns, I felt a very easy adaptation. Sundowns is a very friendly club, the relations between people are very friendly despite the level of professionalism that we need to have, the relationships are friendly,” Cardoso said as per  SABC Sports.

“The locker room is very healthy, so it's very easy obviously, for a player to adapt in this kind of club than others, and obviously, sometimes people say you have a group of Portuguese, Spanish, Brazilian players and they share together.

“It's normal, obviously, that when we sit to eat, they speak within themselves. Brayan doesn't speak English, Miguel doesn't speak English, Nuno [Santos] speaks quite well, Marcelo [Allende] speaks more, but they manage, those players are very important, of course, in terms of helping him to feel at home.

He went on to explain how the 25-year-old is performing behind the scenes.

“He's a very positive player in terms of mindset, and I think that positive mindset helps him a lot to succeed in what he did," added Cardoso. 

The league-winning coach also took a moment to remind the media of the wealth of options he has in the goal-poaching department, notably highlighting the influence of players like Lebo Mothiba, Iqraam Rayners, and Peter Shalulile, who consistently make an impact and show up for the team.

"I want to highlight the work that Lebo did in the two previous matches, I would like to highlight the work that Iqraam has been doing for this team since he came from Stellenbosch, and the goals that he has scored and the work that he did. Today he had a very tough job at the beginning of the match with the opponents having those three centre-backs,” he said.

“Also, how Peter Shalulile is always someone we can count on for everything, and mostly for quality. He had three actions, and all of them could have been goals, and the second goal is an assist from him. I'd like to also highlight that."

The Brazilians will once again turn their focus to the Champions League, aiming to correct mistakes after settling for a point at home against Al Hilal, a challenging result that will set the tone for their pursuit of another star.

At the same time, Miguel Cardoso and his coaching staff will soon be tested in the Nedbank Cup competition, which offers another chance to claim silverware and rebuild the confidence of Sundowns’ supporters.

Meanwhile, the Premier Soccer League race remains fiercely competitive, with Orlando Pirates preparing to go all out this weekend to challenge for the top spot.