Sundowns face existential crisis as AS FAR Rabat challenge for CAF crown
South African club holds narrow aggregate lead into final leg, but coach Miguel Cardoso faces unprecedented pressure following trophy drought and domestic title loss.
Mamelodi Sundowns travel to Morocco on Sunday to defend a 1-0 aggregate advantage against AS FAR Rabat in the second leg of the CAF Champions League final. The decisive encounter at the 70,000-seat Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat carries significant financial and institutional weight, with the winners securing a record $6m prize. The victor will also claim a $500,000 bonus for the CAF Super Cup and a minimum $9.5m payout as a qualifier for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
The stakes are heightened by the precarious position of Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso, who is under intense scrutiny after losing his last two continental finals. Cardoso, who previously failed with Esperance in 2024, has not lifted a trophy in his first full season at the Pretoria club. His record places him among a rare group of coaches who have reached three consecutive Champions League finals without securing victory, a statistic that underscores the magnitude of the pressure facing the Portuguese tactician.
Domestically, Sundowns’ hegemony has been abruptly ended by Orlando Pirates, who claimed the South African Premiership and halted Sundowns’ eight-season winning streak in the region’s richest national league. This domestic defeat compounds the anxiety surrounding the club, as a loss in Rabat would mean Sundowns complete the season without a single trophy, having failed to win any of the three domestic knockout competitions or the continental title.
In contrast, AS FAR coach Alexandre Santos is seeking his first African trophy and has maintained an unbeaten record in the Moroccan Botola Pro this season. The Rabat side has won 10 of their 20 league matches and sits one point behind leaders MAS Fes, holding a game in hand. Santos has attributed the first-leg goal conceded to the quality of Sundowns’ play, specifically referencing a free-kick from full-back Aubrey Modiba, who may be unavailable for the second leg due to injury.
Sundowns’ chances are further complicated by potential personnel issues, with Zimbabwe international Divine Lungu poised to replace Modiba if he is ruled out. Cardoso has acknowledged that his team missed opportunities to extend their lead in the first leg, citing chances created by Brayan Leon and Teboho Mokoena. With North African clubs holding nine consecutive Champions League titles, a Sundowns victory would break a significant regional trend, though historical data suggests that 1-0 first-leg leads have been split evenly in previous finals.
