BARCELONA TRIP GOOD FOR SA
Michaelson Gumede
Mamelodi Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe says there was never any doubt that Masandawana would be able to host Spanish giants FC Barcelona. The Brazilians officially announced yesterday that they would face the La Liga champions next Wednesday at the FNB Stadium as part of the Nelson Mandela Centenary celebrations.
Kick-off is 6.15pm and tickets are available from Computicket.
“There was never any doubt from my side,” said Motsepe.
“The only thing is that we have to respect that this is the year of the Fifa World Cup. If it was any other year it would have been much easier,” he added.
Sundowns had to go to great lengths to make sure they brought stars likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta to South African shores, going as far as asking the Confederation of African Football to reschedule their Champions League game against Guinea side Horoya AC, originally scheduled for May 15.
Downs also managed to persuade the Premier Soccer League to allow them to play the international friendly within a PSL season, as there is still business to be concluded between Maritzburg United and Free State Stars in the Nedbank Cup final on May 19 in the Mother City.
Mostepe says all that had to be done, as there was no other opportunity to play the five-time Uefa Champions League winners, who already have AC Milan, Tottenham Hotspur and AS Roma lined up for pre-season friendlies.
“We saw the opportunity because we have been talking for quite some time and it is important for South African football.
“If we didn’t bring them now, we would have had to wait for many years … and we don’t want to bring any team. South Africans are ambitious and we have to try and bring them the very best,” said Mostepe.
“Barcelona have got a tight schedule, and there are some of the biggest football nations in the world that have created partnerships and made agreements to make sure Barcelona visited their countries,” he added.
Barcelona also confirmed on their official website yesterday that the game was going ahead.