Mamelodi Sundowns' Players Overworked As Hugo Broos Juggles Best AFCON Squad

• Mamelodi Sundowns' players will have played up to 30 games by the time the AFCON break arrives
• At least 11 players in Hugo Broos' preliminary squad are taken from the Tshwane-based club
• Msandawana dropped points for the first time in a league draw against a good opponent

A reliance on quality to get results can risk player burnout.

While the majority of the DStv Premiership will be getting a six-week break, its best players must prepare to push themselves mentally and physically.

Hugo Broos will want his Bafana Bafana team in peak condition but the bulk of his starting lineup has been through the mill in 2023.

Mamelodi Sundowns have competed in two continental tournaments and three domestic competitions this season, and will have played 30 matches by the time the curtain comes down for the AFCON intermission.

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At best, Sundowns players will have a little over two weeks between their last league commitment and the first time they might be expected to run out against Mail on January 16.

Not all the players would have appeared in the full complement of games, but the fatigue is evident. TimesLive quoted Rulani Mokwena after Sundowns' Christmas Eve draw with Cape Town City, stating:

"We are in desperate need of a holiday. It’s a pity we have 10 players at AFCON, those ones will probably have a rest after."

Thapelo Morena is likely to be on the plane to Ivory Coast in a few weeks. Speaking about the mental and emotional fatigue, he told iDiskiTimes:

“It’s been really hectic but very good to spend a day with the family. We are professionals, we know how it is, being tired of travelling and all these games."

Sundowns play Moroka Swallows on December 27 before hosting Polokwane City on December 30. Hugo Broos is set to name his squad in the first week of January.

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Rulani Mokwena outlines January plans

Sports Brief recently reported on Rulani Mokwena outlining Mamelodi Sundowns' January schedule.

Masandawana are still top of the table with 34 points from 12 games, with two more to play in 2023.

Mokwena gave a sneak preview of what the team's plans are before and after the AFCON tournament.