The stamp of approval of Mamelodi Sundowns’ success this season will only come from lifting the CAF Champions League again.
This is the opinion of their yesteryear striker Victor ‘Vitinho’ dos Santos who argues that the Chloorkop club has grown to levels of having the same ambitions as continental powerhouse Al Ahly where success is only in winning the Champions League.
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"I believe with the money that Sundowns have spent the priority trophy is the CAF Champions League and going to the FIFA Club World Cup.
"They have been there before, so they obviously want to go back again and get themselves exposed to the global stage again," says Vitinho.
The formbook has Sundowns as the best in Africa this season while the fact that they have spent the most money of all clubs on the continent also means the best return on their investment is winning the Champions League.
Through the last year Sundowns spent over R100 million in bringing in Marcelo Allende, Ronwen Williams, Sipho Mbule, Terrence Mashego, Abdelmounaim Boutouil, Erwin Saavedra, Teboho Mokoena, Surprise Ralani, and Abubeker Ahmed Nasir.
"I don’t think they have spent all this money just to win the PSL, which is now easy for them to win.
"Their vision is beyond just winning the local trophies.
"If they don’t win the Champions League then it will be a failure considering how much the club has invested.
"Big clubs invest big and want to win big just like what Al Ahly do who always want to win the Champions League and can fire a coach for not winning it.
"Sundowns has grown into a bigger club now and are doing what Patrice Motsepe wanted for this club when he took over all those years back when I was also still at the club.
"The players that they have brought from South America, Morocco, and all other countries on the continent want to win the Champions League.
"With all those players from other countries, it means Sundowns have a stronger team now and the other players are feeling the element of professionalism.
"It also rubbed on me when I was teammates with Andre Arendse after he had played in England because he would arrive at training an hour earlier.
"Sundowns have players who have played all over the world, so they have the squad to do this.
"They know it as themselves that they must do it and this is no secret," says Vitinho.
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