But that will pose an immediate problem for coach Miguel Cardoso, who would have received back his international players on Wednesday, giving them next to no time to prepare for the encounter.
It could be then that the likes of Teboho Mokoena, Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba and Jayden Adams either do not feature in the fixture or have a limited role.
But facing a crunch with an upcoming Champions League semi-final against Esperance next week and the need to priorities that tie, as well as a potential final, it is perhaps the lesser of two evils for Cardoso.
Having said that, Cardoso’s complaint about postponing domestic fixtures in the week leading up to a key Champions League tie has not been heeded because Sundowns must also play next Tuesday against Durban City away at Chatsworth Stadium. Less than ideal.
After that, they will depart for Tunis, where they take on Esperance in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Sunday, April 12.
Ordinarily, this coming weekend is reserved for the Nedbank Cup semi-finals, and the Premier Soccer League has long had a policy of not playing league matches on cup weekends to ensure maximum exposure for the sponsors.
Friday’s clash against Chippa gives Sundowns the opportunity to regain the leadership of the league standings. They are one point behind Orlando Pirates on 50 points but have a game in hand, essentially this fixture.
Pirates play next on Tuesday when they host Lamontville Golden Arrows in Soweto.
Chippa are in peril, only two points above the relegation zone, and have not won in their last four league games.