Mamelodi Sundowns have been a dominant force in South African football for the past decade, and their latest move could see them become even more dominant.
The Brazilians have announced that as of October 22, their home matches will be returning to Loftus Versveld, a stadium they share with their rugby sibling, the Blue Bulls.
The new pitch at Loftus has been upgraded with cutting-edge technology, which includes a new playing surface, drainage system, irrigation system, and artificial grass stitching.
According to Obie Oberholzer of Keep it Green, this will allow the Brazilians to play their famed ‘shoe shine and piano’ playing style. Sundowns’ Football Director Flemming Berg explained that the new pitch will not only help the team’s style of play, but it will also reduce the risk of injuries for the players.
“We average between 650 and 700 passes per game, and we are by far the team in the league that has the most passes. So, a strong playing surface is very important for our style of play. What it’s also important for is less injuries because it’s more stable and more subtle and the players will be able to come out of these situations where a pitch is either not even or firm,” he said.
The return of Mamelodi Sundowns to Loftus Versveld will see the Brazilians become even more of a force to be reckoned with in the DStv Premiership.
With the new pitch set to aid their style of play, other teams will have to prepare for a tougher challenge when they face the Brazilians.
