It’s not easy to win Caf Champions League – Pitso
After winning their maiden African Champions League title in 2016, there has been a lot of expectations from the Mamelodi Sundowns fans and South African football supporters at large for Bafana Ba Style to deliver another crown.
Pitso Mosimane shares trophy with Sundowns fans (Gavin Barker/BackpagePix)
It has been some four years now since Downs beat Zamalek in the final and Pitso Mosimane says winning the continent’s premium club competition is not a walk in a park, but they will continue to try as they have been.
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“It is very difficult to win the Champions League. Look in South America, which team has won the Copa Libertadores repeatedly? Not many. In Europe, you have Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern Munich, all these big clubs, why have they not won the Uefa Champions League in the last four years? It has only been Real Madrid, [who are dominant].
“Even Pep Guardiola is still struggling to win the Champions League ever since he won it with Barcelona in 2011. Carlo Ancelotti is still struggling ever since he last won it at Madrid [in 2014]. Jurgen Klopp only won it once in his lifetime with Liverpool. We can mention all of these big coaches, Jose Mourinho, when last did he win it? You cannot tell me that Manchester City does not want the trophy from Pep, they need it but you can’t just buy it,” said Mosimane.
“Jingles” went on to state his case, using record holders Al-Ahly as an example, as the trophy has eluded them for almost a decade now.
“Do you know when was the last time Al-Ahly won the Champions League? Do you know the expectations and the pressure for that club? There is Zamalek and Raja Casblanca as well, they want it but it is not easy to win it. Esperance has been the team that has been consistent but this thing is going to change again.”
Mosimane added: “We need to change and sharpen the saw because if we say we won the Champions League once in 2016, it is 2020 now and we have not won it again. Are we trying? Yes, we went out in the quarterfinals and in the semifinals but it means we need more.”
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