KickOff.com can reveal that Mamelodi Sundowns have granted Leonardo Castro special leave to attend to family commitments back home in Colombia. Castro left yesterday and is only due back in South Africa early next week, meaning he will miss the Absa Premiership game against Baroka on Wednesday and the CAF Champions League Group C opener against Saint George on Saturday. The South American forward has been plagued by injury this season, diluting his effect in the team, with his last appearance having come in the 5-0 humiliation of SuperSport United last month when he came on for the last 12 minutes, meaning he hasn’t played in the last seven games.

“Leo has travelled back home for family related reasons and will be back in a week. The club has allowed him time to attend to these family matters,” a source close to the Brazilians tells KickOff.com. Though the club has already exercised the option of a further year on his contract, Castro, who will celebrate his 28th birthday on Friday while in his homeland, has started just a single league match this year, with his only goal coming in the Nedbank Cup against Mariveni United. That form comes in stark contrast to last term, where Castro scored 14 goals as part of a deadly partnership with Khama Billiat and Keagan Dolly that was known as ‘CBD’. At the beginning of last year, Castro was also given special leave by the club to head back home for the birth of his daughter.