Watch VideoRulani Mokwena back to haunt Mamelodi Sundowns in high-stakes CAF showdown

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena pictured giving instructions on the touchline.RULANI Mokoena returns to face Mamelodi Sundowns on what promises to be a Valentine’s Day reunion. RULANI Mokoena returns to face Mamelodi Sundowns on what promises to be a Valentine’s Day reunion. On a day traditionally reserved for lovers, when roses change hands and gestures of love are exchanged, there will be no romance at Loftus Versfeld.

Instead, tension will thicken the air as pride, history, and a place in the CAF Champions League knockout stages will be on the line. There will be no chocolates or roses on offer, only the possibility of heartbreak. Mamelodi Sundowns’ favourite son returns, and sentiment will count for nothing.

Rulani Mokwena comes back to familiar territory not as a friend, but as a threat — plotting the downfall of a former home that is already wobbling. It is a bittersweet narrative, but football is unforgiving, and when the lines are drawn, it will simply be survival of the strongest. Sundowns’ season has been one to remember — and not always for the right reasons.

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This weekend’s decisive group-stage clash against Mokwena’s MC Alger could yet place an unexpected twist on their campaign. Only time will tell whether it brings redemption or deepens the turmoil. The club’s ambition has never been a secret.

The Brazilians have chased a second Champions League crown through sustained investment and elite-level recruitment, and with those resources comes expectation. Back-to-back semi-final appearances were followed by a step forward into last season’s final, yet even that achievement felt insufficient. With the standards they have set, progress alone is rarely enough.

Merely matching past success does little to quiet the noise, and even reaching another final this season might not be sufficient to prevent instability. Much like the group-stage campaign this season, the road to last year’s final was far from convincing. As the old saying goes, history remembers results, not performances — but the cost of accepting mediocrity purely for outcomes is steep. Over time, identity fades, and suddenly the fear factor that once surrounded a dominant force begins to dissolve.

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