Sundowns home dominance hints at CAF Champions League final spot

However, a deeper analysis could spark some unease among supporters. Esperance remains the only side to overcome Sundowns in a home second leg, achieving this during the 2024 semi finals under the guidance of Miguel Cardoso, who now leads the South African outfit.

Sundowns approach this clash with the Tunisian opponents carrying a narrow one nil advantage from the initial encounter in Rades, although the away side cherishes strong recollections of their landmark success.

During that match, Esperance entered the Pretoria return leg with a one nil edge and replicated the result via a 57th minute effort from Raed Bouchniba, who subsequently moved to Monastir in Tunisia.

These 38 knockout fixtures where Sundowns hosted the return legs span the Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup, African Football League, CAF Cup, and CAF Cup Winners Cup, dating back to their first continental involvement in 1994.

Sundowns triumphed in 27 of them, alongside 10 stalemates and just that one setback.

Notable large victories have featured throughout, yet these all occurred in the preliminary phases prior to the group stage.

In the 2019/20 campaigns second round, they crushed Seychelles outfit Cote dOr eleven one, while in 2022/23 they beat fellow Seychelles team La Passe eight one. That ties outward fixture also took place in Pretoria, resulting in a seven nil Sundowns win.

Sundowns have faced eight such encounters against North African clubs, securing three successes, four ties, and the defeat against Esperance.

Across this period, they netted 99 times while leaking merely 19, positioning them to possibly hit the 100 mark this coming weekend.

This record underscores Sundowns unyielding control at home base, though their solitary lapse came versus opponents who have now mastered the art of prevailing in Pretoria, which might sway the outcome this Saturday.