Pitso Mosimane slams the African Champions League as poorly run

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane has slammed the African Champions League as poorly run and described the intimidation his players go through when they travel to Arabic-speaking North Africa as his side headed to Morocco on Thursday to try and win their group when they play Wydad Casablanca at the weekend.

“It’s never been nice‚” he said of the reception that awaits his players in Rabat on Saturday when they face Wydad to decide who will top group A.

It is the third trip in as many years for Mosimane’s men to face the Moroccans.

Sundowns need just a draw while Wydad must win by two goals.

“I went to Setif (in Algeria) and do you remember what happened?”

The match in Setif in June 2016 was called off before the end because of fan violence as Sundowns were headed to an unexpected away win.

As a result‚ Setif were chucked out of the Champions League.

“I went to Esperance at a packed El Menzah Stadum (in Tunisia) and do you know what happened?

“Not when there were people watching but in the passage there’s trouble there.

"The packed stadium doesn’t see anything but the trouble is in the tunnel‚ in the corridors.”

Sundowns drew a tense physical encounter with Esperance in the group phase two years ago.

“They do what they do.

“You come with the bus … you saw what happened at Zamalek‚” he added‚ reminding of home fans hitting Sundowns’ bus as they entered the stadium in Egypt for the 2016 final‚ where they won the trophy.

“North Africa? Seriously! Even sometimes West Africa. Everywhere we go there are stories (to tell).

“This Champions League is way behind. We have no buses‚ no training pitches.

“It’s 2019 yet we still have those problems. It’s tough‚” he lamented.