Tinkler predicts excitement to come
After his side followed up their thrashing of SuperSport with a 1-0 win against Free State Stars in Orkney, Downs coach Pitso Mosimane admitted that playing every three days was taking its toll.
None more so than on Khama Billiat – the architect of the SuperSport thrashing in the first game – Percy Tau and Themba Zwane‚ who were targeted for roughing up by Stars.
Tau and Thapelo Morena also had to go off with tight hamstrings against SuperSport.
Once Sundowns’ stronghold‚ their recent forays to this stadium have been less successful.
In their past four matches played in Atteridgeville, Downs have won just once. Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has urged the club’s fans to create a wild atmosphere at Camp Nou to help the team complete another improbable Champions League comeback, this time against Juventus.
The Spanish coach insisted his team would try to score five goals on Wednesday night
Sundowns drew against Bloemfontein Celtic in the league and lost to Lamontville Golden Arrows in the Nedbank Cup in their past two games at Lucas Moripe.
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History shows that winning against the visiting Italians, who have a 3-0 lead from the quarterfinal first leg in Turin.
After Barcelona overturned a 4-0 deficit against PSG in the last 16 in the biggest comeback in Champions League history, Enrique believes supporters can play their part as the team try to obtain another shock result.
“If we score the first goal, the second will be scored by Camp Nou and the third will come by twice in a row against the same team in the space of a few days is not easy.
Baxter is capable of coming up with a plan for specific matches and opposition and he will have learnt a lot from the first game. itself,” Enrique said on Tuesday. “Our objective is to score five goals. [We have to] attack, attack, attack. And when we relax a little bit, we have to start attacking again,” he said.
A handful of fans left with Barcelona 3-1 up against PSG on March 8, missing the stunning finale as Barca netted three goals in the last few minutes to knock their opponents out of the competition.
The record‚ the dominance stretching back years‚ last week’s result and SuperSport’s will to bounce back — it all seems like a dangerous recipe for a slip-up based on overconfidence
Enrique said they should stay until the end this time, with the team planning to fight until the final whistle to turn the game around.
“I hope they don’t go in the 80th minute … we will try right until the end,” he said.
“Those who experienced the night against PSG at Camp Nou will have another chance to enjoy a historic evening.
“Right until the 95th minute from Sundowns. Teams in this situation can talk all they want about keeping their feet on the ground and not letting complacency creep in.
However, it often takes some effort mentally to not allow it in somewhere. we have to be united,” he said.
The coach confirmed Javier Mascherano would be back from injury for the game.
And he was happy to have Sergio Busquets available after the defensive midfielder missed the first leg.
“Getting [Busquets] back is always great news,” he said.
“He is one of the most tactically intelligent players there is and a key man for us.
A 5-0 win‚ when it could have been a lot more had SuperSport goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse not been in top form, must have shaken Matsatsantsa.
A repeat seems unlikely‚ but if Downs keep their heads‚ they should be able to pick SuperSport apart again.
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There was a time‚ when he was at Kaizer Chiefs‚ that coach Stuart Baxter’s record against Sundowns was excellent. At Amakhosi‚ he played seven against the Brazilians‚ won three‚ drew two and lost two. Since his move to SuperSport‚ Baxter has lost four‚ with one win‚ on penalties in the Telkom Knockout quarterfinals in November.
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The Zimbabwean bounced back from an initially quiet return from injury as the chief architect of the 5-0 rout last Thursday.
Billiat’s runs‚ killer passes and finishing — scoring two goals — tormented SuperSport’s overly static back four.
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Sundowns have finally caught up to perhaps their strongest title challengers‚ Wits‚ in games played and now lag by three points. The Brazilians have apparently recovered from their damaging run of five PSL games without a win.
“The more he can do, the better for us.”
Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta said the team needed to put in its best performance of the season.
“We have to play a perfect match. We have to create the maximum number of chances and score goals.
“We probably need to play our best match of the season,” Iniesta said. Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler is predicting several more twists and turns before the end of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) season and expects all the top contenders to drop points before the curtain comes down on the campaign.
Tinkler also said defeats would provide potentially devastating blows as the PSL log positions were very tight.
“Any defeat right now is a bad defeat‚” he said on Tuesday as his City side wound up their preparations for Wednesday’s top-of-the-table clash against Wits at Cape Town Stadium.
“It is all so tight‚ nobody wants to be dropping points right now.
“Even at the bottom of the table‚ if [bottom-placed] Baroka win twice, they will be up in the top eight. I still believe teams are going to be dropping points.
“I certainly don’t think they’ll be running away with it. It’s going to be a tight‚ close scenario that in itself tells you just how important the three points on Wednesday are going to be.
“Wits are the best team in the league and they stand the best chance of winning it. So, it will be a tough task for us, but we have the self-belief.”
Tinkler’s team sit top of the league standings with a one point advantage over Wits, but have played two games more.
“We are backing ourselves. I think [Wits coach] Gavin [Hunt] will be happy to go home with a point, but obviously in the back of his mind, he is looking for all three. They have a lot more big games to come. I think they’ll play a direct game with lots of balls into our box.
“He will see that as one of our weaknesses, so that is why we have worked hard this week to try and improve that department.” /