Mamelodi Sundowns had high hopes for their South American striker Mauricio Affonso, but the player has spent more time nursing injuries than being on the field.
Affonso joined Sundowns last season and the coach at the time, Pitso Mosimane, had high hopes that the striker would become they can rely on for goals.
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Not long after joining the club, Affonso sustained an injury before he made his official debut for the club in the CAF Champions League, in which he scored. Affonso went on to score in his first Telkom Knockout match, against AmaZulu, and bagged another in his first Premiership game, a dramatic match-winner against Highlands Park. He later went onto inspire Sundowns to victory in the Telkom Knockout final, bagging a brace against Maritzburg United.
In total, Affonso made 14 appearances for the club last season and missed out on a big chunk of the side’s matches due to injury, which at some point saw him going back to South America to recover.
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The player, however, has not featured in a match for the club since February 2020 and has in his time suffered from groin, ankle and hamstring injuries.
Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi said they expect Affonso to be out for a few more months and there’s uncertainty on whether he will get to play a match this season.
