Getting in the air miles is all part of the job

Michaelson Gumede

Mamelodi Sundowns play Equatorial Guinea side Leones Vegetarianos in the Caf Champions League preliminary round firstleg clash today in Malabo, before a long journey home ahead of Sunday’s Tshwane derby against SuperSport United.

Today’s match is scheduled to kick off in the afternoon and Masandawana are expected to return to the country on Friday, leaving them with just a single day to prepare for the game against their arch-rivals.

Mosa Lebusa (right), who is likely to make his Champions League debut, is not accustomed to long-distance travelling and playing games in quick succession.

“If you were to think about it considering the travelling, it is madness, but we are professionals and we can’t complain about that. Our job is to play football – that is why we are here. If the fixture comes like that we have to take it on the chin,” said Lebusa.

“The pressure is different here in the sense that you have to win every game and that is what comes with playing for a very ambitious team. The pressure of winning is massive compared to where I come from. As a player you set targets and you want to do well when you are given a chance. The pressure will always be there, it is just about how you handle it,” added the former Ajax Cape Town star.

Recently, the Brazilians have not been the well-oiled machine that coach Pitso Mosimane likes, but he has been working tirelessly to bring his team back to the level he wants them to be.

“The coach has been working so hard to bring back the old Sundowns at training during the international break and we worked very hard on that these past two days here ... he has been pushing us and trying so hard to make us understand his style of play,” said Lebusa, who is ready for a positional switch as Mosimane often tweaks his team.

“As a player, wherever the coach puts you, you have to give 100% and if the coach plays me out of position I wouldn’t complain just as long as I am helping the team to win.”