Miguel Cardoso: Mamelodi Sundowns won’t play for a draw

The Brazilians – currently in second place – need just one point to qualify for the knockout stages, with AS FAR having already secured their spots, while Raja Casablanca are still mathematically in the race alongside Sundowns.

Cardoso says the type of approach of playing for a draw sometimes leads to a loss.

"I think both teams have a very clear identity in the way they play and the way they approach the games, and I think that's what we're going to see," said Cardoso.

"Obviously, AS FAR have less to lose – they are through, but anyway they will for sure play for first position in the group, and we will play for what we can get out of the game.

"It's important that we know that the game will eventually have different moments, and we need to deal with the different moments.

"Obviously, we know that a draw in the end makes us go through to the next round, but there's still 90 minutes to play so no one can play a match thinking about a result, because whoever plays for a draw usually loses in the end.

"So we have our mindset, we have our objectives, and we need to also be loyal to our fans, our club, our logo and history, and we need to be loyal to ourselves. 

"We'll do our best, but we'll obviously manage the game if we need to in order to get the result that we need to go through [to the knockout stage]."

Cardoso admitted that, although it is going to be a difficult match, the thought of defeat has never crossed his mind.

"Basically, it's the first time I think about [a defeat] now that you've highlighted it – I don't even remember there can be a negative result," he added.

"Look, if you have fear in football, or in life – when anybody faces challenges, it's natural that you'll have fear, but as much as you deal with the fear, the better you'll be prepared for it.

"Fear is not wrong because fear makes you aware, it makes you more conscious of what you have to do, but I always tell our players, 'If you knew you could not lose tomorrow, what would you do? That's how you have to play.'

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