WATCH | Sundowns coach Mokwena gives journalists a coaching lesson on 'catenaccio'

11 August 2022 - 15:54
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Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena.
Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena.
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena took time during his press conference ahead of Saturday’s keenly anticipated clash against Kaizer Chiefs at Loftus to explain how the catenaccio defensive system works.

After Wednesday’s defeat to TS Galaxy, Mokwena pointed out that their visitors employed the famed Italian system that focuses on nullifying opponents' attacks and preventing goal-scoring opportunities.

“There is an Italian way of defending that Arrigo Sacchi and them employed in the past and it’s called catenaccio.

“Catenaccio is when you have auxiliary fullbacks and you create that when you have Ebrahim Seedat, who sits close to Pogiso Sanoka, and Marks Munyai, who sits close to Given Msimango, but the wide areas are covered by Lindokuhle Mbatha and not so much Aphelele Teto.”

On Thursday morning, Mokwena further explained how the system works and how Galaxy coach Sead Ramović used it to effectively hand Sundowns their first defeat of the campaign at home.

At their training base in Chloorkop on Thursday morning, Sundowns players looked like they had dusted themselves off and were in good spirits during their training session to prepare for the heavyweight bout with Amakhosi.

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