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.
