Fixture burden eased by success – Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso

The Portuguese mentor was gruntled at having to play every three days, forcing him to rotate the squad to avoid risking injuries.

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While the number of matches Sundowns have featured in did come at a cost to some of the key players, Cardoso says holding on as Betway Premiership leaders as well as reaching the last four of the CAF Champions League and Nedbank Cup is somewhat comforting.

''I agree, we can not be in the moments of decisions without going through the process. Fixtures are congested but we have been managing, it comes with extra demand in level of concentration and extra volume of work from our part. So that we can be detailed and bring those things for our players,'' said Cardoso.

Cardoso adds that Sundowns, to a degree, control how many more matches they can add to their own schedule by continuing to progress in the cup.

''We spent five days in Tunisia and it was very tough to prepare for these matches. It was difficult to keep our privacy, it was an extra volume of work - but our players have a high level of commitment. And when you reach the end of the season, you look ahead and you have so many games to play. You increase the number of games when you do well in competitions, and we want to increase those games, the Champions League, the League, but then we also want to go to the World Cup and fight against tough opponents and play one more,'' added Cardoso.

There is a part of Cardoso that now appears to accept the hand the club has been dealt by having so many fixtures close to each other.

 ''This is the level that players and coaches, and staff and clubs that want to be in the decision making moments and  want to play at the highest level have to cope with,'' he expressed.

Sundowns face Champions League title holders Al Ahly over two legs in the semi-finals and Cardoso revealed they were already thinking about that clash.