South Africa: Many global dignitaries expected to attend the Sundowns-Barcelona friendly
It is champions versus champions come next week, May 16th, you better mark your calendars. The 2017/18 ABSA Premiership Champions, Mamelodi Sundowns will welcome the Spanish La Liga Champions, Barcelona at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. Will Percy Tau show credentials of playing in Europe’s biggest leagues as suggested by El-Hadji Diouf when he faces his opposite number, Lionel Messi? There is actually a whole lot more than this match is yielding.
The match has been organized as part of the Nelson Mandela Centenary commemoration. The Apartheid icon who passed on in 2013, would have been a 100 years old now. Regional leaders, government officials, and football associations are set to attend the international friendly fixture. Most notably, CAF President, Ahmad Ahmad has already confirmed his attendance and is believed to use the moment to root for Morocco to win the bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup over the joint bid of Canada, Mexico and the United States of America. TimesLive has reported that FIFA President, Gianni Infantino will also be attending the match and could use the opportunity lobby support for his re-election in 2020.
The last time Sundowns and Barcelona clashed in 2007 at Loftus Versfeld in Tshwane, the Catalans were 2-1 victors. Who will be the greatest this time?
