Stellenbosch FC hold breath over Sanele Barns' fitness ahead of key clash with Orlando Pirates

STELLENBOSCH FC are sweating on the fitness of influential midfielder Sanele Barns ahead of their crunch Betway Premiership clash against Orlando Pirates on Wednesday. 

Barns has been in prime early season form with the 28-year-old netting a brace against AmaZulu in the MTN8 quarterfinal at DHL Stadium.

However, Barns was absent from Stellies’ starting XI in last weekend’s MTN8 Cup semi-final first-leg 2-0 victory over Sekhukhune United at the Danie Craven Stadium.

Barnes’ was ruled out with a “tight hamstring” and his recovery becomes even more important now after striker Ashley Cupido was forced off the field after just seven minutes against the Bambina Noko.

Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker has, however, downplayed the severity of Barns’ injury and hopes to have his winger back in the frame for the trip to Orlando Stadium and the upcoming second semifinal against Sekhukhune United on Saturday.

“He’s got a bit of a tight hamstring, which with all the games coming up midweek against [Orlando] Pirates and Sekhukhune next Saturday, it was just not worth the risk,” Barker said.

“So, he would have played. He was in the starting team, but at training in the last 10, 15 minutes, he felt a bit of pain, so we just took more precaution than anything else.”

Barker is though looking forward to spending the entire week on the Highveld as he looks to get his new-look team working cohesively together ahead of these two big matches. 

“Fortunately, the sponsors pay for our flight so we can stay over and save on one,” Barker chirped.

“Obviously, because it's a Saturday, it just wouldn't make sense to come back. So, we will go on Tuesday, play Wednesday and then from there go to Polokwane Thursday, play the game Saturday and return on Sunday.

“We also have one more registration and I do think for me it was just really getting as much as we can with what we have until we really gel.

“I always felt that this August would be tough with the semi-finals plus the opposition that we are facing in the league but after the Fifa break comes sort of middle to third week in September.

“I think that's when we'll be really at our best and hopefully from there we can really kick on and, you know, win more games and go on unbeaten runs and be where we want to be. 

“So, yeah, it'll be nice. We'll take the whole squad, not just 20 players. It'll be a little three, four days chance to get together,” he added.