As Mamelodi Sundowns prepare for one of their most defining nights in this season’s CAF Champions League, the club has been rocked by a drama that few supporters saw coming. A long-serving performance analyst, Mario Masha, has been suspended while the club investigates allegations that he leaked tactical information to former Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena.
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A trusted figure suddenly under scrutiny
Masha has been part of the Sundowns engine room since the days of Pitso Mosimane, working quietly behind the scenes across title campaigns and continental runs. His suspension has reportedly stunned colleagues who have known him for more than a decade. Although he is said to have denied any wrongdoing, he has been placed on precautionary suspension pending a disciplinary hearing.
A crucial match heightens the stakes
The timing of the saga could not be more explosive. Sundowns face Rulani Mokwena’s MC Alger at Loftus in a final group stage clash that will decide which team moves into the quarterfinals. It is a rare footballing twist: the former coach returning to Pretoria with a chance to knock his old side out.
Sundowns’ 1-1 draw with Saint Éloi Lupopo in Lubumbashi over the weekend complicated their qualification path, leaving them needing a full three points against the Algerian champions.
Against that backdrop, head coach Miguel Cardoso delivered a comment on Sunday evening that hinted at deeper tension simmering behind the scenes. Without naming anyone, he said he hoped the opponents would not know Sundowns’ tactical approach ahead of the match and that the team could count on a fair contest.
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Mokwena’s mission in South Africa
MC Alger are not shying away from the magnitude of this fixture. Rulani Mokwena has framed the trip as strictly business, brushing aside any narrative about reunions or nostalgia. For his side, victory in Pretoria would confirm their place in the knockout rounds and, in an unexpected twist, potentially at the expense of the club he once led.
A cloud over preparations
For Sundowns, the alleged leak adds emotional weight to an already high-pressure week. The club now has the dual challenge of preparing for the biggest match of their group while managing internal unease over a staff member who has been part of their footballing fabric for years.
Masha will now wait for the disciplinary process, hoping to clear his name and return to the role he has occupied with loyalty since his earliest days under Mosimane.
As for Sundowns, the focus shifts to Loftus, where football and off-field drama collide in a clash with everything on the line.
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Source: SABC Sport
Featured Image Source: Times Sport RW on X
