This season Orlando Pirates hoped they can show why they can challenge Mamelodi Sundowns' dominance in the PSL. Then recently Bucs' elimination in the CAF Champions League preliminary round has exposed a vast difference in mentality between the sides.
The Buccaneers became the only side to be knocked out of the CAF Champions League by a team from Botswana, as it happened for the second time, following their elimination in the second preliminary round after a penalty shoot-out loss to Jwaneng Galaxy in the second-leg, after a 1-1 draw on aggregate.
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The Buccaneers had made 10 changes three days later against the Brazilians in the Premiership, as Tapelo Xoki was the only survivor from the line-up that had lost against Morena Ramoreboli's charges away in Gaborone.
In comparison, Masandawana seemingly put more emphasis on their CAF Champions League second preliminary round, first-leg against Bumamuru over a looming league clash against Pirates, as five players who started against the Buccaneers were in the line-up five days prior against the Burundian side in Tanzania.
Former Pirates and Bloemfontein Celtic winger Mark Mayambela says the mentality of certain clubs in the PSL towards CAF tournaments is not like Sundowns and suggested that aiming to beat the Brazilians does not mean you've reached their level, if you manage to beat them.
"The mentality that we have in South Africa, some clubs, towards CAF Champions League is not so like Sundowns. They (Sundowns) take it seriously, they want to win, they are playing it to win it," Mayambela said on Playing The Field With Shakes YouTube channel.
"Also sometimes you hear from some coaches how they speak about these games and if your coach speaks negatively about CAF football, already as a player you've lost that game.
"I think the mentality with these kinds of games does not only start with the players but it starts with the hierarchy, the coach of the club, the ambition of the club and the ambition of the coach. If a club plays Sundowns tomorrow and they beat Sundowns, that doesn't mean they are at Sundowns' level. There's so much work that is done by Sundowns," he added.
In hindsight, it was Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro's first time entering the CAF Champions League tournament and perhaps he underestimated Jwaneng Galaxy.
However, as a big team, qualifying for the CAF Champions League group stages should have been prioritised more than a chance to beat Sundowns in the league, as they went on to lose against Rulani Mokwena's troops anyway.
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