Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is not expecting an easy outing on Saturday against Pyramids FC in the first leg of the Caf Champions League semi-final at the FNB Stadium.
The Buccaneers are unbeaten in the competition, and they hope to go all the way and win their second star, having triumphed in 1995 before failing to replicate the same in 2013 when they fell to Al Ahly.
The Spaniard, who is set to leave Bucs at the end of the season, insists no team reached the last four by chance, including the Egyptian outfit, who have been a surprise package.
‘Pirates are at the semis because they are doing things well'
“In my point of view, the fact that they lead in the domestic league, doing well in the cup competitions, as well as brilliant participation in the Champions League this season, tells a lot about them,” he said in a pre-match interview.
“Afterall, analysing them and knowing a little bit about the way they play football and their complexity that will require to stop them, tomorrow I can tell you they not in the semi-finals like I think the rest of us in the competition; [Al] Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns, we are not here by chance.
“We are here because we were doing the things very well all the way through the competition, and it’s a difficult team to control in defence. A lot of talent in the front four; experience.”
‘Bucs accept the challenge'
“They know very well and they master the way they trying to play their football in possession. So, we know about the importance of making sure that tomorrow we can be in our best version; otherwise universal version is not going to be enough,” Riveiro added.
“So, we accept the challenge, we're ready to go, we really want to test ourselves one more time in this moment of the competition.
“And let’s see, let’s see how good we can be on the day, and for sure it’s gonna be an equal game, it’s the semi-final of the Champions League, that’s what I can tell you right now about them without saying so much,” Riveiro concluded.
