Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane remained defiant amid suggestions the Nedbank Cup trophy could be forfeited due to a massive team sheet blunder.
Left-back Tebogo Langerman picked up a fourth yellow card against Black Leopards last week and was officially listed as being suspended for the final against Celtic.
However, the 34-year-old was in the matchday squad that beat Bloemfontein Celtic 1-0 courtesy of a second-half strike from Gaston Sirino on Saturday night.
View The Brazilians lifting the Nedbank Cup trophy above!
After lifting the Nedbank Cup and capping a long and memorable season with three trophies in hand, Mosimane was taken aback during the online post-match press conference when quizzed about Langerman.
"I'm not aware of that," Mosimane responded when asked if he knew Langerman was suspended.
"I'm not aware of that. How come you are asking me, as the coach? I'll ask the club."
READ: Pitso: I'm happy, but the league is bigger
A dark cloud has now been cast over The Brazilians' treble celebrations as snl24.com/kickoff can confirm that Celtic have lodged a complaint over the issue.
Mosimane looked ready to bring Langerman on late in the game but was apparently stopped by the fourth official, and the player did not enter the pitch.
Regarding team sheets, the NSL Handbook states: 'If a Player's name appears on the team sheet he will be deemed, for the purposes of these Rules, to have participated in the match except if a Member Club removes a Player's name from the team sheet before the match.'
The exact punishment for this type of error or misconduct is up to the League, but the rules also state that Celtic will need to follow a number of specific procedures if they plan to follow through formally with their protest.
READ: Maduka leaves Langerman to officials
Mosimane remained confident the history books will record that Sundowns fairly won the 2020 Nedbank Cup.
"You know my opinion about football, you must win football on the pitch," he responded when asked again about the Langerman matter.
"If you have to win outside the pitch because there's something like this or that... okay, if you win you win, you know how you won.
"You know how football is. Bloemfontein Celtic in 2012 they won the Telkom [Knockout] Cup [against Sundowns] with a ball that never crossed the line. Who talks about it now?
"I don't do admin at the club, I don't do that. I focus on coaching the team and if I have reports on certain issues, of course, I can't be a coach who doesn't observe all those things.
"But I don't know about that. I'm not aware at this point in time. The management will have to tell us about all this. But you must win on the pitch, neh?
"Imagine you are going to raise the trophy...'Oh, by the way there was this thing' and where's the trophy? And then you celebrate. I mean really."
REPORT: Sirino fires Downs to the treble