Nabi on Why Sundowns Can’t Use Fatigue as an Excuse

Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi isn't buying Mamelodi Sundowns' fatigue narrative. After the highly-anticipated 0-0 Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium, Nabi was quick to shut down any excuses for the Brazilians' sluggish start to the new season. 

Sundowns endured a brutal 2024/25 campaign, with a packed schedule that saw them compete in the CAF Champions League final and four local competitions before heading to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the USA. 

This left them with a severely limited pre-season, while rivals like Chiefs enjoyed a full break. However, Nabi argues that a team of Sundowns' calibre should be able to handle such challenges. 

With their deep pockets and star-studded squad, the coach believes they have more than enough quality players to rotate and manage the workload. In his view, a squad so rich in talent should be able to field a competitive team even with key players rested. 

Nabi's comments shift the focus from a legitimate concern about their jam-packed schedule to a question of their squad management and ability to leverage their immense resources. 

He’s essentially saying that with great power comes great responsibility, and Sundowns’ strength in depth should be their solution, not their problem.

‘IT’S EASY FOR THEM TO REPLACE PLAYERS’

“It’s a fact that there is fatigue as a team that played two days ago [against Orlando Pirates in the MTN8],” said Nabi at the post-match press conference.

“They also played at the FIFA Club World Cup; they didn’t have a proper pre-season, but we know all the number of players they have and the quality they have. We believe that it’s easy for them to replace players who are not fatigued.”