Mamelodi Sundowns to reduce squad size ahead of new season

The Brazilians were eliminated from the FIFA Club World Cup following a goalless draw against Fluminense, who progressed to the round of 16 along with Group F leaders Borussia Dortmund. 

Cardoso confirmed soon after their game at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida that they will be working tirelessly to reduce the squad size. 

"We want to reduce the number of players in the team. We want to make a smaller team, smaller group but also we want to make it even with more quality,” Cardoso said.

“So, reduce but make it with more quality so that we have already more than one player with high quality for each position, we have more than two but we need to have two that can replace each other 100%, that is what we need to do.”

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Sundowns took a squad of 26 players to the Club World Cup with several more omitted, and the likes of Terrence Mashego, Thapelo Maseko and Kobamelo Kodisang are now likely to be offloaded.  

"In some positions we need to have two and a half players like fullbacks, we need to have two on each side, probably plus one, that's why we say two and a half because in the top they are five. We know also the fact that we play a lot in three, four days increase a number of injuries that may happen,” he added.

“So, we need to be careful of that but we will not change a lot but obviously let's see what will happen with our players because when you play like we played there's a big risk of losing players."

Cardoso did acknowledge the fact that a few of his key players, among them Lucas Ribiero, might have caught the eye of top-class rivals in Europe.

The coach says he’d be happy to see them go on and flourish elsewhere. 

"I don't have any problems with losing players because I think my job has to do with that, providing opportunities for the other ones to become better. I know that I work in a club that doesn't like to sell players because we like to have a lot of stability and I also like stability, so that's what we're gonna go for."