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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE unsynchronised Zimbabwe football season and Caf Champions League competition has presented an Achilles heel to FC Platinum, who will now plunge into the group stages without making any additions to their squad.

Coach Lizwe Sweswe had hinted that he might want to make a few additions ahead of the start of the mini-league phase next month, but those plans will have to be put on hold as all the targeted players are presently contracted and cannot move until the January transfer window.

Pure Platinum Play have three matches before the end of the year; starting with a trip to Sudan to square up against El Hilal at the end of next month. In early December they will play host to Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel at Barbourfields Stadium before wrapping up the year with a visit to Egypt to take on Al Ahly just after Christmas.

“As you are aware, our season does not favour the current format of the Total Caf Champions League because right now we can’t get any players locally because they are still contracted to their teams and by the time we finish our season, the other teams will be in mid-season and it’s a difficult time for us to consider players now,” said club secretary-general Benson Wirimai.

“The coach is, however, still working on his plans and we hope that maybe in January that is when we will start negotiating with players and their teams.”

The league champions made a dramatic qualification into the group stage after storming to victory from the jaws of defeat in Beira last month. They have now set their sights on reaching the knockout stages of the tournament.

“Bettering our previous group performance is the key objective. Quarter-finals very achievable,” club chairman Evans Mthombeni wrote on his WhatsApp status soon after the mini-league draw early this month.