Miguel Cardoso reveals Mamelodi Sundowns star suffered before sealing loan move to European club - 'His kids and wife did not want to come back'

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has explained Matías Esquivel's situation before the Argentine left the Premier Soccer League defending champions.

The attacking midfielder will not be part of Sundowns' squad for the 2025/26 season after he moved to Greek side A.E. Kifisia.

Cardoso has addressed the Argentine's situation at the club and stated why he found it difficult to become a regular player.

"Believe me, I respect the players who don't play more than the ones who play because those ones, they arrive at home, and they want to give love to their families while they are sad and not happy," Cardoso told the media.

"They arrive home, and the kids ask, ‘Papa, why don’t you play? Why are you here?’ and this (is) not beautiful," he added.

"Matias suffered a lot here in this club. There is a moment when we as human beings – it is already not the context for him to be here, despite that he is a quality player, and no one should have doubts about that."

To partly absolve himself from the Esquivel situation, Cardoso said the left-footed midfielder faced the same situation under his predecessor.

"But because of what happened before with coach Rhulani, he didn't play," the former Esperance head coach said.

"Now he came in December, and we had expectations that he could play, but the other ones became better than him, and they gave him no chances, like I gave him no chances."

To complicate matters for the Argentine footballer, Cardoso said his family did not want to come back to South Africa.

"There were others I gave chances to, and they showed they were better than him," the coach explained.

"He was suffering. His family was suffering. His wife didn't want to come back. His kids didn't want to come back," he added.

"So, what can you say to a human being under those circumstances rather than find a solution since the club invested in you so that we don’t lose money and make you happy?"

Esquivel was signed for a reported R40 million deal from Atletico Lanus but failed to stamp authority as a regular first-teamer for Sundowns.

He was loaned to CA Talleres of Argentina and returned before his move to Greece was sealed.

After failing to star in PSL, Esquivel now has a chance to try and shine elsewhere.