Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has revealed he is still trying to make peace with the club’s painful CAF Champions League exit at the hands of Esperance a week ago.

Despite sealing a record-extending 14th league title with a 5-1 hammering of Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium, Rulani admitted his Champions League regret.

The title was Sundowns’ seventh in succession and a second under Rulani’s sole leadership as head coach.

“Incredible effort from the players, I’ve got to congratulate them. In fact, without them, this is not possible. This is a special group of players and what they are doing, I don’t know if we’ll ever see something like this in South African football in the near future. It’s incredible.

“The leaders, when it’s good, they stand at the back. When it’s bad, they take the bullets and I’m still reeling because I feel I still disappointed the club, but I have to take it as a leader and keep going and try to push them to get this team to achieve what they deserve. I’ll always try my best, I’m at service,” Rulani told SuperSport TV.

Rulani also conveyed a congratulations message to the players and particularly the Chairman Dr. Thlopie Motsepe after his side was crowned DSTV Premiership champions with six games remaining. “It would be improper for me not to congratulate this football club on a historic seventh, Mamelodi Sundowns. Congratulations to the football club and everybody involved.

“I want to dedicate this victory, maybe even the victory is not enough, maybe the entire season, to the chairman of this football club, Thlopie Motsepe. I get emotional. In the good moments, he’s there; in the bad moments, he’s there.

“The last three weeks I’ve felt very low, he’s been texting me every single day, and I wanna dedicate this league title, this big victory against a big rival to our chairman Thlopie Motsepe, unbelievable human being. I wish I can be half the man he is. An incredible leader, he’s been so supportive. I hope he’s watching, this is for you,” Rulani added.

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