Mamelodi Sundowns head into Tuesday’s Carling Black Label Knockout last 16 tie with Marumo Gallants, in the unusual position of facing a season without Caf Champions League football.

Sundowns shock

The Brazilians’ away-goals defeat to Angolan side Wiliete on Friday at Loftus Stadium means for the first time in 12 years they will not play in the group stages of Africa’s elite competition.

This is made extra-embarrassing for the Tshwane giants on the back of the fact that they are the reigning African champions, winning the Champions League last season for the second time.

For head coach Miguel Cardoso, however, the fact that he led Sundowns to the Champions League title last year surely gives him some wiggle room in terms of keeping his job.

Sundowns have also already won the MTN8 title and the African-Asian Pacific Cup this season, and have plenty to play for.

The priority has to be winning back the Betway Premiership title they lost to Orlando Pirates last season. And there is also the Carling Knockout, the African Super Cup, the Nedbank Cup, and the possibility of taking on Paris St Germain in December for the Fifa Intercontinental Cup.

“In the last two years (since Cardoso took over) we have reached two finals in a row and put one star on the shirt,” said Cardoso after the game at Loftus on Friday.

‘What makes us stronger is how we react’

“This season we have already played for two trophies and won two trophies. We are leading the league in South Africa. It is a punch in the face, yes (exiting the Champions League). But what makes us stronger is how we react.

“It is on everyone when we win, and everyone when we lose. What happened today was horrible for us. But the season is very far from being a catastrophe. We just need to move forward. We are already in a final in one and a half weeks (Sundowns play Algeria’s USM Alger on November 8 at Loftus in the Caf African Super Cup). We need the supporters to bring the energy so that we can lift the trophy.”

Before that, Sundowns should be able to bounce back and take down a beleaguered Gallants on Tuesday. Gallants are currently rock bottom of the Premiership, with just two points from their first eight league games.