After Mamelodi Sundowns' shortest pre-season ever, Soccer Laduma spoke to a physical conditioning expert on how Sundowns managed players after their FIFA Club World Cup extended season.
After playing in the CAF Champions League final over two legs, Sundowns soon jetted off to the United States of America to hold a training camp at the beginning of June, at a time where most teams around the world were in their off-season.
The Brazilians' group campaign at the FIFA Club World Cup ended on 25 June, after a goalless draw against Fluminense was not enough to see them through.
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Masandawana had an extended break of around three weeks since getting back to the country and as a result, had just over two weeks of pre-season training, before they opened the 2025/26 campaign against Richards Bay in the MTN8 quarter-finals last weekend.
A proper pre-season for a professional team usually requires around six weeks and after the Tshwane giants had only two weeks to prepare for the new season, Soccer Laduma spoke to a physical conditioning expert on how Sundowns would have managed the situation, after also playing competitive matches at the FIFA Club World Cup, which could have loaded players.
"It's not really loading because they had three weeks, which is 21 days rest, but I think they never really rested, because they were given a program while they were still at home," physical trainer Abongwe-Ubuhle Badi gave insight to the Siya crew.
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"I think they had a mini pre-season, not really pre-season. They were not loading players, they were improving players on speed.
"Because already the players were training during the Club World Cup and some of them were playing 90 minutes in the Club World Cup," Badi, formerly with Polokwane City and Durban City added.
