Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane says that Orlando Pirates will struggle to compete for the Absa Premiership and CAF Champions League titles next season.

Masandawana pipped Orlando Pirates to the Absa Premiership as they secured their eighth league title with one game to spare in the PSL this season, however the former Bafana Bafana mentor believes that Milutin Sredojevic’s second season in his second spell with the Buccaneers won’t yield the same return.

“They have the [Caf] Champions League next year. But do they have the experience?” Mosimane told SowetanLive.

“Sure they have the coach [Milutin Sredojevic]. Micho knows the Champions League. But does [Thembinkosi] Lorch know it? What about [Luvuyo] Memela?

“And the boy from Zambia [Justin Shonga]? Let’s face it, Pirates have been playing every seven days.

“Can they play every three days like us? They had enough rest this season. They were not even in the top eight. They were fresh.

“You’re in transit, on flights, then when you land you have a match two days later. Do they [Pirates] have the mentality?,” he said.

Sundowns face Wydad Casablanca in their Champions League group stage encounter on Saturday night with the game to kickoff at 21:00.

Photo: Samuel Shivambu/Backpagepix

-This story originally appeared on SportsClub.co.za