The R120 million windfall shared by Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns is a neatly packaged PR bullet, but it does nothing to camouflage the twin continental failures that defined both clubs’ seasons. For all the chest-thumping over league titles and CAF Champions League group-stage revenue, the truth is that neither side solved the tactical and logistical rot that saw them eliminated before the semi-finals — and the money, celebrated as validation, is merely a gilded distraction from those hard truths.
Sundowns’ exit at the hands of Esperance in the quarter-finals exposed a chronic inability to adapt when their passing rhythm is disrupted. Rulani Mokwena’s side dominated possession in Tunis as they always do, but that dominance was sterile — they created only two clear chances across two legs and conceded twice on set-pieces they had rehearsed all week. Peter Shalulile, so lethal domestically, was ghosted by centre-backs who sat deep and invited crosses he cannot win against taller defenders. Meanwhile, Pirates’ collapse against Wydad Casablanca was even more damning. Jose Riveiro’s men conceded three goals in a ten-minute spell in the first leg — all from defensive chaos born of poor communication and a high line that Wydad’s direct runners repeatedly torched. Thevaal Grert’s absence in midfield left a gap that someone like Miguel Timm could not plug under pressure. Both clubs spent millions on transfer fees before the season, yet neither addressed the fundamental structural weaknesses that African opponents have learned to exploit: Sundowns’ vulnerability to counters after losing possession in midfield, Pirates’ inability to defend aerial duels when the tempo rises.
The R120 million — Sundowns’ R80 million from CAF prize money and domestic broadcast deals, Pirates’ R40 million from their Nedbank Cup and league-run bonuses — is now being paraded as a sign of progress. But watch the financial statements closely: none of that windfall has been earmarked for the specific upgrades that would actually change continental outcomes. There is no talk of hiring a dedicated set-piece coach, no investment in data analysts who can break down North African defensive patterns, no commitment to travelling earlier to adjust to altitude or artificial turf. Instead, the PR machine is selling the money itself as a trophy, hoping fans forget the limp exits. The danger is that this self-congratulation becomes a permission slip for complacency — the same complacency that allowed Sundowns to lose the CAF Super Cup final after leading twice, and Pirates to fail to score in three of their four knockout matches last year.
If the leadership at Chloorkop and Mayfair genuinely believe that R120 million