Saint-Eloi Lupopo’s Yassine Salmi confident ahead of Sundowns clash

Saint-Éloi Lupopo assistant coach Yassine Salmi has expressed confidence and focus as his side prepares to face Mamelodi Sundowns in a crucial TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Group C encounter at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday.

Lupopo enter the group-stage fixture riding high after eliminating South African giants Orlando Pirates in the preliminary rounds, an upset that sent a strong message across the continent. 

Now, they turn their attention to another heavyweight: the 2016 African champions, Sundowns.

Their challenge, however, comes with a significant setback. Head coach Guy Bukasa will be absent from the touchline due to suspension, placing added responsibility on Salmi and the rest of the technical team.

Despite the circumstances, Salmi remains composed and determined. Speaking ahead of the match, he emphasized that Lupopo are not intimidated by the reputation or quality of their opponents.

“They are interesting. We know Sundowns very well. We have studied Sundowns well. We are not here for tourism,” Salmi said.

“We come to play a simple game. At home, we take game by game. And each game is managed by all aspects. We never take one aspect and forget the other. In general, we are very specific.”

He highlighted that Sundowns’ tactical identity, particularly their dominance in possession, is well known to his side.

“We know very well that Sundowns has a goal for their opponents. They keep the ball and want us to be running after it,” he explained.

“We have a different strategy. We can go straight to action and hurt them somehow.”

Salmi stressed that Lupopo are prepared both mentally and tactically, insisting that his team will not fall into the trap of chasing shadows.

“We don’t run like that. We take action. We know Sundowns very well, not only one aspect, but many aspects,” he said.

“We are ready. We did our homework. We know how they play.”

With Bukasa sidelined, leadership responsibilities fall heavily on Salmi, but he remains unfazed, reiterating Lupopo’s ambition and competitive spirit.

“We are not here as tourists. We are not here to give them the game. We are going to play to get the result.”

Lupopo’s victory over Pirates has already shown that they are capable of delivering surprises on South African soil. 

The stage is set for an intriguing battle in Pretoria, with Lupopo hoping their discipline, intelligence, and preparation will be enough to challenge the Brazilians and continue their impressive Champions League campaign.