Mamelodi Sundowns News Today: Cardoso blasts Saleng’s behaviour, set-piece concerns & more

Latest on Mamelodi Sundowns, including the bombshell revelation about Monnapule Saleng and Miguel Cardoso acknowledging his side’s vulnerability from dead-ball situations after their MTN8 opener.

Cardoso drops shocking news about Saleng

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has confirmed that winger Monnapule Saleng is no longer training with the first team after repeatedly breaking the club’s rules and values.

Cardoso revealed that Saleng was separated from the squad after failing to report for a CAF Champions League match and subsequently refusing to join the team’s training camp.

Speaking to the media after Sundowns’ 3-2 victory over Polokwane City in the MTN8 quarter-final on Saturday night, Cardoso confirmed the situation had been developing for some time before the end of last season.

Miguel Cardoso says Monnapule Saleng is not training with the team after failing to show up for the second leg of the CAF Champions League final and for pre-season. ❌#AirMobile #PSL #AbsaFootballFridays pic.twitter.com/DAJ9vKcZad

— SoccerBeat (@SoccerBeatZA) August 8, 2026

“Regarding Saleng, the situation is unfortunately different. Saleng consecutively broke the rules and values of the locker room and of the club and for some time already he is not training with the team,” Cardoso told media after the game as per Soccer Laduma.

The Portuguese coach then went into detail to explain when and how the player broke club rules.

“Just for you to understand, Saleng was on the list for the second match of the Champions League and he did not appear. Saleng was on the list to go on camp, he didn’t appear or he said he would not go.

“So it’s important for us to keep stability with a player that we gave so much love even after systematic mistakes, but is not willing to make the path a team in this level has to have. The club decided to put him separately from the team and he is not working with us now.”

Cardoso flags set-piece frailty for Sundowns

Meanwhile, Cardoso has acknowledged that conceding goals from set-pieces remains a concern for Mamelodi Sundowns after they were made to work hard to see off Polokwane City in their MTN8 quarter-final.

Sundowns came from behind in the first half before eventually prevailing, with goals from Teboho Mokoena and new signing Antonio Van Wyk steadying the ship at the interval, before Cassius Mailula grabbed the winner off the bench.

Cardoso admitted the manner in which they shipped the goals was a familiar problem. “Today, we were saying last season we suffered goals from set-pieces — today we conceded two. That is the story of the game. The man-to-man marking that Polokwane City put in on the pitch was obviously very physical and demanding,” Cardoso told SuperSport TV.