Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has moved to calm comparisons between Lucas Ribeiro Costa and Arthur Sales, insisting that no player should be seen as a direct replacement for another.
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Ribeiro has been a notable absentee for the Brazilians in recent weeks, sparking speculation among fans over his situation and whether Sales has been tasked with filling the gap. Cardoso, however, dismissed that notion.
“No, no-one should compare any player that will play as a right winger. Whatever position he’s more out or more in, no-one should compare him to players. There’s no players. You cannot now make a copycat of one player that is not in the moment with the team,” Cardoso said.
The Sundowns boss remained coy on Ribeiro’s absence, only adding that clarity would come in due course.
“I don’t think it’s up to me to give an answer to the question of Lucas. For sure, in the proper time, we will know everything that has happened with him,” he explained.
On the form of Brazilian forward Sales, Cardoso was more forthcoming.
“Obviously, Arthur is giving a good answer. I think Arthur is doing well, showing dynamic, showing that he understands what the team wants from that position, bringing his game to help the team,” he said.
Cardoso emphasised that Sales is not a like-for-like replacement, but rather a player with his own qualities that can shape Sundowns’ approach differently.
“As I said, no-one should expect one player to replace another. It’s just one player that plays in the same position that another one was playing. So the game will become different, but we’ll have to use the characteristics that we have from Arthur, that he’s showing himself, that he’s being better and better match after match,” he continued.
“Let’s hope he can stabilise his performance at a very high level because it’s a player that we trust.”
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