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Johannesburg - Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United players have to quickly switch their focus from the midweek PSL action to CAF tournaments at the weekend.
This after the international break as the Tshwane sides are the only remaining South African sides in continental club competitions.
This means Pitso Mosimane and Eric Tinkler have to juggle their interests and decide which tournament takes precedence over the other.
Defending CAF Champions League champions Sundowns welcome Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca in the first leg quarterfinal clash at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday afternoon, hoping to take a healthy advantage to the second leg away from home.
The Brazilians will warm up for the game with a league game against Free State Stars tomorrow, which should give them some game time ahead of the CAF encounter.
But the big question, after three weeks of no competitive football, is
if Pitso Mosimane will rest some of his players for this important game, or try to give them some game time ahead of the encounter.
Mosimane has added new faces to the CAF list following the arrival of Oupa Manyisa and George Lebese at Chloorkop.
Downs left-back Tebogo Langerman believes they will be ready for their visitors, adding that their aim was to kill off the contest at home.
Langerman, who was instrumental to Downs’ success last year, said they knew what to expect from the north Africans, particularly when playing at home.
“We must just guard against conceding at home as that will make life difficult for us going to the second leg. The important thing is to take our advantage at home so that it becomes easier away,” said Langerman, who, together with Themba Zwane, Hlompho Kekana and Percy Tau, were on national duty this week.
Their neighbours United will welcome Zambia side Zesco United in the CAF Confederation Cup last eight at the same stadium on Friday night.
Kick-off is at 19:00.
This will be Tinkler’s first involvement in the competition since joining United in June.
But the coach has a wealth of continental experience after taking Orlando Pirates to the final of the same tournament two years ago.
United had six players and a goalkeeper coach in the recent Bafana squad, and their international experience should give them the edge over the visitors. Zasco had five in the Zambia team.
They also have domestic football to deal with before switching their attention to continental football.
They welcome Platinum Stars on Tuesday and Tinkler will face the same issue of whether to juggle his side or not.
But, fortunately, unlike Mosimane, Tinkler won’t face the issue of game time as United have been playing in the semifinals of the MTN8.
