In a tense CAF Champions League semi-final clash, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso made a bold decision that raised eyebrows—leaving defender Lucas Suarez on the bench. The Brazilians faced reigning African champions Al Ahly at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, playing out a goalless draw in the first leg.

Suarez, typically a mainstay in Sundowns’ backline, found himself relegated to the substitutes' bench a consequence of his costly error in their previous match. Just a week earlier, his defensive lapse allowed Kaizer Chiefs’ Wandile Duba to pounce, leveling the score in the Nedbank Cup semi-final.

This wasn’t the first time the Argentine’s mistake proved decisive. Earlier in the season, a similar blunder against Orlando Pirates handed the Buccaneers a crucial victory in the Betway Premiership. With pressure mounting, Cardoso opted for experience over risk, handing veteran centre-back Mosa Lebusa a rare start after a spell on the sidelines.

The tactical gamble didn’t produce a win, but it kept Al Ahly at bay, setting the stage for a high-stakes second leg in Cairo next weekend. Now, questions linger over Suarez’s role in the squad—has Cardoso lost faith in him, or was this merely a tactical adjustment? Only time will tell.

What Miguel Cardoso had to say about the player's future

Speaking to SABC Sport, Miguel Cardoso mentioned the absence of his left-footed defender. He said:

As I said at the press conference after the match. The way we relate to the players is with the highest respect for them, We need to understand every moment that happens and everything that happens. Eventually, if you were to play a match away, I don’t know if we would make a different decision. Today [Saturday], we decided to protect Lucas from whatever. It’s not that we don’t trust him. We do trust Lucas a lot.

Speaking about his confidence in the 30-year-old defender, he said:

a player who can be very important in the future of this club”. “What you need to understand is whatever happens in each moment, how we want to relate to what happens. And, he’s with us. It means that we trust him.