"Is it pressure to be afraid of or pressure that they want?"
This is a question a former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder has asked ahead of the club's battle against defending champions Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League semi-finals this weekend.
READ: Downs Eye Another Overseas-Based Star
A chance of a treble went out the window for Sundowns after their Nedbank Cup exit, but hopes of a league and Champions League double remain alive, but it's going to be a big ask for the club.
First, they need to put the Nedbank Cup exit behind them and focus on the task at hand. Second, they need to overcome a club that has far more experience in the competition when it comes to reaching the final. It's arguably their biggest game of the season and this is where Sundowns need to deliver and justify the millions they spend to build a star-studded squad every season.
Former Sundowns attacker Sibusiso Vilakazi has stressed the importance of moving on from the Nedbank Cup defeat to Kaizer Chiefs and embrace the pressure that will come with having to deliver in the big clash against the Egyptian giants.
"Is it pressure to be afraid of or pressure that they want? As much as the Nedbank Cup exit has happened, you have to move on. You still have to bounce back. They should be itching to play this game because that’s where you want to be, regardless of the previous result," the man popularly known as 'Vila' said to Soccer Laduma.
"They’ve had good results against Al Ahly, including in the African Football League. They have the pill to overcome Al Ahly. You’d want to look at those games and see how you performed," Vilakazi added.
READ: Agent Discusses Jali: Retirement Possible?
Sundowns host the first leg at Loftus Stadium this Saturday, needing a good result to take to Egypt for the second leg. A good result is not only a victory, but it should also include a clean sheet, Vilakazi believes.
"You don’t want to concede because that one goal gives them life. It’s a big one, but I’ve looked at the results of when they have played and they have found the formula. It was a tough lock to unlock. Now Sundowns have found that unlock key and you can beat them. They are able to be beaten.”
