Ifikile imini ebikad’ixelwa, iintshatsheli zaseSpain
zilapha! Ekuseni namhlanje bekungamayeyeye kwisikhululo seenqwelo-moya
sehlabathi, i-O.R.Tambo
International Airport,
ngethuba kugaleleka izixhiphothi zeBarcelona. Abadlali abadumileyo abafana noLionel
Messi, uPhilippe Countinho noLuis Suarez bayinxalenye yeqela labadlali
eliseMzantsi Afrika. IMamelodi Sundowns iza kuswantsulisana neBarcelona
kumdlalo wokubhiyozela iminyaka elishumi kaNelson Mandela ngentsimbi yesithandathu
ngongcwalazi namhlanje eFNB Stadium.

Abathandi bebhola ekhatywayo bavukele kwisikhululo
seenqwelo-moya namhlanje – apho bamkele elona qela linabadlali abathandwa
kakhulu kwihlabathi jikelele. Nangona abalandeli bengafumananga thuba
lakuncokola nabadlali – kodwa iVuvuzela itsho ngamandla bekhwaza besithi: Messi,
Messi, Messi!

Phambi kokufulathela ilizwe laseSpain izolo, unozinti
weBarcelona, uMarc-Andre ter Stegen, uvakalise uchulumanco ngotyelelo lwakhe
eMzantsi Afrika. “Andisakwazi kulinda ndide ndifike kwilizwe endingazange ndaya
kulo. Lufutshane utyelelo lwethu – kodwa ndinomdla wokubona indlela abenza
ngayo ebholeni yabo. Sakumisa, eMzantsi Afrika!” utshilo uMarc.

Umqeqeshi weMamelodi Sundowns, uPitso Mosimane, uyalivuyela
ithuba lokudlala neBarcelona – kodwa akalindelanga ukuba iqela lakhe
lingayibetha. “Impumelelo ayisinto ebalulekileyo kumdlalo ophakathi kwethu
neBarcelonna. Ndicinga ukuba siyazi ukuba leliphi iqela eliza kuphumelela,”
utshilo uPitso ethetha neentatheli ekuqaleni kwale veki.

“Xa ndithetha inyaniso, ndiyawuvuyela lo mdlalo uzayo.
Ndifuna ukubabona ukuba bazothina xa sibabinisa indlela abadlala ngayo. Andazi
ukuba ndingawubiza njani umdlalo – kodwa siza kudlala ibhola,” utshilo uPitso.