With the race for the DStv Premiership appearing to be almost over, Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro is adamant that his team is committed to defending their Nedbank Cup title.
The Pirates, who have already won the MTN8, take on Crystal Lake in the Round of 32 to start their Nedbank Cup defense and aim to win another cup trophy.
Riveiro acknowledges that the race for the league championship is all but over, with Mamelodi Sundowns leading by 13 points.
According to Riveiro, “there’s a big gap between us and the team at the top of the table.”
“We must keep going, never give up, and compete in every league game. We know there’s only one way to return to uncontested continental football, and that’s by placing among the top three.
An additional incentive exists in the form of an additional cup to compete for. Like we used to say, we are defending the trophy, and I truly enjoy the competition.
The Buccaneers are four points behind second-place Cape Town City FC in the league after their patchy performance, but they can still advance to the CAF Champions League if they win the Nedbank Cup.
We’ll get ready, but I’d like to know who we’re playing against next week. As always, we’re going to treat the game with extreme seriousness,” Riveiro continued.
We had the opportunity to play FC All Stars, Venda Academy, or Dondol Stars last year. And for us, that wasn’t an easy route to take. Playing against unfamiliar teams is tough.
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