Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Nuno Santos has responded to criticism following the club's disappointing exit from the CAF Champions League, insisting that people are too quick to judge without knowing what is happening behind the scenes.

The Brazilians suffered a shock elimination in the second preliminary round after losing to Angolan side Wiliete SC. The result came as a major disappointment for the Tshwane giants, who were hoping to defend the continental title they won last season.

Sundowns' early exit raised questions about the team's performances and their ability to compete at the highest level of African football. The defeat also attracted criticism from supporters and football followers, particularly considering the club's recent success in the competition.

Santos admits that the elimination was difficult to accept, especially after the team worked hard to win the Champions League last season. However, the midfielder believes there is more to the situation than what people see from the outside.

The Portuguese midfielder also made it clear that the players cannot spend too much time worrying about criticism, as their attention has now shifted to the challenges ahead.

"I mean, we won the Champions League last year, so it's not easy as well," Santos said.

He explained that Sundowns wanted to remain in the competition but acknowledged that there was little value in continuing to discuss something they could no longer change.

"Obviously, as I said before, we wanted to be in the competition, but I don't want to speak too much about it as well, because that's not why we are here for, we are here for the Super Cup," he added.

Santos stressed that the team must concentrate on the things within their control rather than allowing the disappointment to affect their preparations for upcoming matches.

"We are focused on everything that we control from now on, and the Champions League is not one of them," he continued.

The midfielder also appeared to take aim at some of the criticism directed at the club, suggesting that people sometimes form opinions without understanding the work happening behind closed doors.

"We know that people talk, sometimes the people talk too much, without knowing what's happening in the background. The only thing that I can say is that we do our best every day to make Sundowns better," Santos concluded.

His comments underline the team's determination to move forward despite the disappointment of their Champions League campaign. Sundowns will now be expected to respond on the pitch and show that they can remain competitive in their remaining competitions.

For the club, the challenge will be to turn the criticism into motivation and give supporters something positive to celebrate.

Source: IDiskiTimes