'Playing for Chiefs in such a big game is not pressure, it is a privilege,' said the Amakhosi defender.
Inacio Miguel says Kaizer Chiefs do not feat Mamelodi Sundowns. Picture: Phakamisa Lensman/Backpagepix
Kaizer Chiefs central defender Inacio Miguel says he does not feel the pressure when it comes to taking on Mamelodi Sundowns in a Betway Premiership showdown at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
In fact for the Angolan 30-year-old, pressure does not apply to football at all.
Chiefs’ Miguel – ‘Pressure is having to feed your family when you can’t work’
“People talk about the pressure of playing for Chiefs … there is no pressure. I always say to the young boys playing here that this is not pressure,” said Miguel at the Chiefs Village on Thursday.
“Pressure is having to feed your family when you can’t work. Pressure is having someone sick in hospital and you can’t do anything. I felt pressure when my grandma was in hospital in Portugal and I was in Angola, eight hours away.
“Playing for Chiefs in such a big game is not pressure, it is a privilege. And that privilege comes with responsibility.
“I will face Sundowns with responsibility. There is no bigger game to play against such a huge team. I play with privilege. The day I play with pressure I stop playing football.”
Chiefs have got off to a good start to their Premiership campaign under new head coach Fernando Da Cruz. Amakhosi have six points out of six as they head to FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Masandawana, the reigning African champions, produced a stunning late comeback to win their first Premiership game of the season at TS Galaxy on Tuesday. And Miguel Cardoso’s side will be favourites to beat Chiefs.
Amakhosi, indeed, have won none of their last ten Premiership clashes with Sundowns, though they did draw both league fixtures last season.
‘We fear no one’
“We have to respect the fact that Sundowns won the Champions League, but we are Chiefs and we must fight for our goals,” added Miguel.
‘We fear no one. That message is very clear, if it is the Champions of Africa or of the PSL. We will face them (Sundowns) as we faced Sekhukhune, with the same ambition of fighting and going for every duel.”
That 2-0 win over Sekhukhune on Wednesday came with an much-improved second half performance. Luke Baartman and Mduduzi Shabalala got the goals to lift Chiefs’ supporters who had at times booed the side for their slow build-up play in the first half.
“I can understand the frustration of the supporters, they want things to happen quickly,” said Miguel.
“But first we have orders to follow. Sometimes the coaches game plan is that we are not supposed to play so quickly. It is important to let the team be organised.
“I understand that they want us to score as quickly as possible but it is not like that in every game. Against Sundowns, if we try to rush maybe Sundowns will also get in (and score).”
