Violence ‘not the spirit I live in football’, Sundowns coach Cardoso tells Tunisian press

It was at times a mildly testy reintroduction of Miguel Cardoso to the Tunisian media in his prematch press conference ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns’ second leg of their Caf Champions League against Esperance de Tunis in Radès, outside Tunis, on Tuesday.

Cardoso kept his cool in Monday’s briefing when he was asked about the violence after the final whistle in Downs’ 1-0 first leg win at Loftus Versfeld last Tuesday and his relationship with Esperance, who he was fired by last year, months before joining the Brazilians in December.

Sundowns will expect a hostile reception, but hope tempers do not boil over at the 65,000-seat Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi (9pm SA time).

Incidents of violence plagued the first leg at Loftus, where reports in the SA media and the view of the Pretoria club, seemingly backed up by videos shared on social media, alleged the unruliness was started by Esperance supporters.

Cardoso, who steered Esperance past Sundowns in the semifinals to last season’s Champions League final, where they lost against Al Ahly, was asked about one article that had raised ire in the Tunisian press.

“I was asked a question on an article I don’t know [about], and I can’t comment on things where I don’t know what they are,” Downs’ coach responded.

“I said already when I landed [in Tunis], among many other things, that for me football violence, on or off the pitch, in any sport — football, basketball, handball, water polo, athletics, horse-whatever — sorry, but that’s not the spirit I live in football.

“I said that here once in the presence of most of you. I will ratify again whatever I had to say on that. Nothing more than that has to be commented over an article I didn’t read.

“You know very well my position regarding any form of violence in sports. You know me, you know my values and who I am as a man.”

Cardoso joined Esperance in January 2024, steering them home to the 2023-24 Ligue Professionnelle 1 title in the second half of the campaign. Despite that feat, earning his only trophy as coach, and reaching the Champions League final, after some poor results in the 2024-25 league campaign, Cardoso was fired in October.

The coach was asked about his relationship with the Tunisian giants.

“Let’s please just speak about this match. [But] to make it clear so we close this dossier, because it’s not the objective of this press conference, my relationship with Esperance is very good.

“With the management, with the president [Hamdi Meddeb], with the board, with everyone. I took love from this club and I gave love.

“Our relationship is as good as when I arrived here. There’s no other comments to do [on that].”

Esperance defended for a draw in Pretoria, aiming to replicate last season’s 0-0 result that made it relatively comfortable for then-coach Cardoso’s Tunisian club to pick off a 2-0 win at home against Rulani Mokwena's Sundowns.

Peter Shalulile’s 54th-minute strike at Loftus last week gave Downs a slender advantage, and Esperance will have to push for a goal at home, which Cardoso believes will open up opportunities for Sundowns.

The coach has said the Brazilians cannot afford to play for a draw in Tunis, so will attack, but have to do so in a measured and sensible manner against an Esperance who showed their class limiting Downs’ chances in the first leg.

“What we saw in Esperance as a team in the first match, even understanding that after me there were three coaches there, is there will always be strong players on the other side, a strong team and a strong group of coaches working there.

“A strong identity as a club. And for sure a strong team playing tomorrow [Tuesday]. That we have to respect.

“But we also should never forget we have a strong group of coaches, a club with a big identity, a very strong group of players and the will to win.”