Sundowns on the brink of history

Mamelodi Sundowns will go in search of a record-breaking 16 points in their CAF Champions group when they host Sudanese side Al Merreikh on Saturday, but defender Mosa Lebusa is eager to play down their favourites tag for this year’s competition.

No side has ever managed 16 points in the pool phase of the Champions League, with Sundowns having so far won four and drawn one of their five games. That includes back-to-back wins over holders Al Ahly.

Their one blemish was a 0-0 draw with Al Merreikh in neutral Cairo, a game that Sundowns dominated but could not score.

Tunisian side Esperance are the only side to win five pool games in the past, doing so in 1999 and 2013, but lost their other game for tallies of 15 points in those years.

Despite being on the cusp of history, Lebusa says the Champions League is a complex competition and should Sundowns not be crowned winners this year, it cannot be seen as a failure despite their dominance.

"I don’t know if that will be a failure," Lebusa said. "We are just focusing on the process. We are trying to focus on one game at a time and trying to win every game that we play.

"Some games are difficult as you won’t get the result that you are looking for, but we will try and give it our all. As for the season being a failure if we don’t win the Champions League, I don’t think so.

"When we step onto the pitch, we give our all and sometimes we don’t win games but that doesn’t define us. I think this season we are in with a chance because we have been performing well and the guys have really showed up and we will really give it everything.

"Most of the teams are aware of what we are capable of because we went to Cairo and came back with three points. Not many teams have done that, but I think we still have a long way to go."