Yanga coach Miguel Gamondi says Mamelodi Sundowns are like Al Ahly ahead of the Champions League tie. Image: (@MiguelGamondi/Instagram)
Yanga coach Gamondi launches mind games with Sundowns
Yanga coach Miguel Gamondi launches mind games ahead of their Caf Champions League clash against Mamelodi Sundowns.
Yanga coach Miguel Gamondi says Mamelodi Sundowns are like Al Ahly ahead of the Champions League tie. Image: (@MiguelGamondi/Instagram)
Mamelodi Sundowns are on the road to Yanga of Tanzania, and coach Miguel Gamondi already launched mind games.
The former Sundowns coach, Gamondi, says he is happy to reunite with the DStv Premiership champions whom he coached.
Yanga coach Gamondi, who hails from Argentina, went to the continental competition with Sundowns in 2006.
Now in charge of the East African side, Yanga, Gamondi says he respects Sundowns, but it’s all about mind games ahead of this tie.
Gamondi also argues that Sundowns are the favourites after finishing Group A at the summit, while Yanga qualified as second from Group D.
MIND GAMES: YANGA BOSS ON FACING SUNDOWNS
Looking at his past with Sundowns, Yanga coach Gamondi worked with Neil Tovey as they won the league in 2007.
“It is my former team. I was champions with Sundowns in 2006. I have a very nice souvenir,” Yanga coach Gamondi tells The Guardian about Sundowns.
“On one hand, I am very happy to play against Sundowns. It is a team that I love.
“Because of the things you did well you always keep this feeling, especially because they play the kind of football similar to us.
“It is a big team and, for Yanga, it is a special moment with the biggest team.
“The other day I told the president that Yanga is now sitting on the table of big teams.
“We have this ambition of being top five in Africa. You must compete and, for us, we will be at best to know which is our level.
“Sundowns like Al Ahly must be in the finals because they are the biggest teams.
“If you compare the budget of Sundowns to ours, definitely they must be favourites.”
WHY YANGA ARE SIMILAR TO DOWNS – COACH SPEAKS
The controversial yet seasoned coach, Gamondi adds that the two sides are different when it comes to personnel.
Sundowns recently recruited Argentine star recent transfer of Matias Esquivel and Gamondi compares them to Al Ahly.
The two outfits, Yanga and Sundowns, are set to lock horns at the Benjamin Mpaka Stadium on Saturday night.
“Last time they bought one player from Argentina, I think, for $4 million,” adds Gamondi about Yanga and Sundowns.
“And we brought Guede and Okra for free in the last transfer window.
“This is the difference, and the people must understand, but that doesn’t matter when the referee blows the whistle it is 11 against 11.
“We need to fight, to put in more effort than Sundowns. As I said earlier, when we played Al Ahly, the issue was a little bit handicapped by experience.
“All the players in Tanzania, even in the national teams, don’t have this experience of playing crucial games at the top level.”
