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Palacios: we mean business

ORLANDO Pirates interim coach Augusto Palacios wants to restore the pride of Bucs by starting with a solid victory win over Santos at Athlone Stadium tonight .

The People's Team welcome the People's Club in what is expected to be an exciting Absa Premiership encounter. Kickoff is at 7.30pm.

The former Peru World Cup international said he was encouraged by the massive support Pirates received on their arrival at Cape Town Airport yesterday. Clad in the famous black and white colours of Bucs, Cape Town-based supporters formed a guard of honour to welcome Benni McCarthy and company. Some blew whistles and vuvuzelas.

"You could see the excitment of our fans who came to welcome us, we cannot afford to disappoint them. Pirates will beat Santos again," said Palacios.

In their first-round league match in Soweto in September last year, Pirates secured maximum points after Ndumiso "Simply The Best" Mabena scored the only goal of the clash.

Palacios had a meeting with the players and technical staff yesterday morning where the former Witbank Black Aces ace midfielder laid down the law.

"I had a meeting with the players, I explained to them that I want discipline from all of them. There is no one who is bigger than Pirates.

"We need to behave in a professional manner in everything we do and there is no player who is guaranteed a starting line-up jersey.

"I told them I want to work with a team that want to help Pirates retain the league and Nedbank Cup, especially after crashing out of the African Champions League. We need to beat Santos to prove that we mean business in terms of retaining the league and Nedbank Cup."

Santos' chief operations officer Edries Burton said they were ready for Pirates and were determined to beat them this time round.

"We are more than ready for Pirates, we are not in the business of donating points. It is important for us to win and improve our position on the log."

Bucs will be without the injured trio of Boa Morte, Lucky Lekgwathi and Thulasizwe Mbuyane. Erwin Isaacs will carry the hopes of the Cape club. Meanwhile, the organisers of Saturday's derby featuring Pirates and Chiefs at Soccer City, expect to put up a sold-out sign before the end of the week. Yesterday, 80000 tickets had already been sold.

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