Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso stated that Monnapule Saleng’s absence is medical and he couldn’t feature after complaining during warm-up.
This mirrors an Orlando Pirates dressing room incident from a few years ago where coach José Riveiro asked Saleng if he was ready, he said no, and Mohau Nkota was quickly called on to replace him.
Sundowns still won 3-0 comfortably in the Betway Premiership match, with Nuno Santos taking the bench spot at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday, and Cardoso insisted there’s space for Saleng once he recovers.
“There’s no competition because there’s space for all of them,but if you take a look at the medical report it’s clear that Saleng could not be available to be lined up or be called up even when we were in the previous match in the warm-up, he didn’t feel good,” the Portuguese tactician told Goal Mzansi.
Saleng, who joined Sundowns from Pirates in January 2026 after a Orbit College loan spell, was an unused substitute during last week’s clash between Masandawana and Polokwane at the Seshego Stadium, where the Tshwane giants won 1-0.
“So he was on the bench but he couldn’t play. When we felt he was not okay, when he complained he was not okay, we could not substitute the match sheet — it was too late. “So he was on the bench but he could not be lined up in the previous match,” Cardoso added.
It remains to be seen whether Saleng will feature in Sundowns’ remaining four Betway Premiership matches and two-legged CAF Champions League final against AS
