Sundowns playing top-class teams in Netherlands to prepare for gruelling season

Mamelodi Sundowns have lined up top-class opposition for their camp in the Netherlands because the club is preparing for a tough season where they are set to compete in six competitions.

Sundowns left for Europe on Monday for their second camp, after the first held at the world-class training facility at the Royal Marang Hotel in Rustenburg. They are training at a facility just outside Amsterdam.

The Brazilians meet Belgian Jupiler League outfit Ghent on Friday, then Dutch Eredivisie clubs Go Ahead Eagles (Sunday), Sparta Rotterdam (Tuesday) and NAC Breda (Friday).

Downs take part in the DStv Premiership, MTN8, Nedbank Cup, Carling Knockout Cup, Caf Champions League and Confederation of African Football's new African Football League in 2023-2024.

Coach Rulani Mokwena said the players are revelling in training in world-class conditions, and looking forward to their friendly matches against top-class clubs.

“We came at a strange time in Europe, because they are experiencing probably their hottest moment of the summer. There was an incredible anticipation for a heatwave, but the heatwave of the Netherlands is a natural summer for us [in South Africa],” Mokwena said.

“There’s also a lot of vegetation and trees [around the training facility] and that also gives a good but relaxed energy to the preparation and training.

“The facilities are excellent — we’ve got two good training pitches, we’ve got access to the gym and the training sessions have been good. We’ve been able to do some tactical work.

“The intensity is going to be good [finalising] our preseason with difficult games against very good opponents.

“We’ve got the morning training sessions and the players still have time to recover in the evening and in between we’ve got a few sessions [such as] the morning tactical session and we’ve got a bit of gym work [at] midday, in the afternoon or early evening we’ve got video sessions for the players individually.” 

Downs' goalkeeper coach Wendell Robinson said the Dutch camp “is to take the opposition upper-level, because you know we are preparing for a big season with a number of competitions”.

He said for the camp in Rustenburg “the focus was more on the physical elements where the team worked hard on improving their fitness, the base fitness, moving to the speed and the power phase”.

“This phase in the Netherlands is where we will focus on the tactical and technical side, [so] a lot on how we play.”

Sundowns kick off their season with their Premiership match against Sekhukhune United at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on August 4.

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