Sundowns ‘will continue this dream, will win the Champions League’: Mokwena

After failing to reach the Champions League final for the seventh year running, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena reiterated his stance that winning the competition is not an obsession but a dream. 

Since they won the tournament in 2016 under former coach Pitso Mosimane, Sundowns have lost in the semifinal stage on two occasions and Mokwena says they will give it a go again next year. 

Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic dumped Sundowns out of the tournament again on Saturday at Loftus on the away goals rule as they were tied 2-2 on aggregate — also the scoreline in the second leg — after two legs of intense continental club football. 

“A few weeks ago I said that winning the Champions League is not an obsession but a dream and there is a reason why I said that,” Mokwena said. 

“We will continue with this dream, we will win the Champions League. It might not be next season but eventually we will win the Champions League.

“We will win it by playing according to the culture because if you want to change the style of football you will have to take out a lot of what speaks to this club. 

“The colours and the nickname attached to this club are synonymous with a certain style of play — it is a nickname that is synonymous with a certain style of play. 

“If you completely change your identity, you have to eradicate a lot of years put in by Mamelodi Sundowns. I have been at this football club for many years, in the capacity that is not the same capacity that I happen to find myself privileged to serve this football club. 

“But how I see football, how I feel the game is, is definitely how this club feel the game and how this club sees the game.” 

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