CAFCL: Shalulile predicts great things for Sundowns this year

Photo Credit - Mamelodi Sundowns Media.

Mamelodi Sundowns top striker Peter Shalulile believes the South African giants are more equipped and ready to do well in this year’s Caf Champions League.

Despite winning the last seven Betway Premiership titles, the Brazilians have found it difficult to win the Champions League trophy with last season failing to go past the semi-final spot.

Ahead of their first leg quarter-final fixture against Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis at Loftus Stadium, the Namibian striker is optimistic of a good showing this time round.

“To be honest, in the league itself, we always say it's dog-eat-dog because in the league it's different the Champions League. It has been a really difficult four years when I was here chasing Champions League and it's a different ball game the fact that there it’s the best of the best and we got there few times but we didn't make it but it was difficult. Eventually this year, I foresee great things happening,” said Shalulile as quoted by SABC Sports.

‘With top players that are here, not reaching the final ever since 2016 doesn't mean you are a bad player or a bad group, it just means it's a process because everything has a process in life and getting there this year, it's possible and making it happen it's also possible.”

Shalulile concluded: “We do not play with weights on ourselves because the more you play with weight you won't give your A game. You take every match as other matches because you have nothing to prove to people, all you need to do is to [focus] on the goals that you have set and when you set goals you go for them despite anything around that.

“As a group, we've set goals and we keep on following them and we keep on achieving them also.”

Both teams will head into the battle field sitting at the top of their respective leagues. While Sundowns are leading the Betway Premiership with 58 points from 23 matches, Esperance are have garnered 53 points from 15 wins, eight draws and two defeats to lead the Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1.

The return leg is scheduled for 8 April at Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi in Tunis.