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Derby a timely boost

THE city of Manchester is sharply divided whenever rivals Manchester United face Manchester City, just as there is no love lost whenever Spanish giants Barcelona meet Real Madrid in the "Clasico".

The legendary Soweto derby between giants Orlando Pirates and old enemy Kaizer Chiefs is the local equivalent, often generating great interest and attracting huge viewership.

Amid poor match attendances domestically, both sides are expected to revive the spirit of old as they return excitement to the local game when they meet at Soccer City on Saturday.

The Soweto derby, which is fairly well known around the globe and ranks among the top derbies on the continent, has never been short of support, even when the two sides dished out "damp squibs" in recent seasons. There were 90000-odd fans crammed into Soccer City for the past two derbies, and one could bet with certainty that avid fans will arrive in their droves for this second-round fixture.

Off-the-field issues that both Amakhosi and the Buccaneers are grappling with will matter little once the battle for supremacy gets under way on familiar territory.

Pirates have placed coach Julio Leal on suspension since the Brazilian "could not see the way forward" and told chairman Irvin Khoza "to do what is right for the club".

Amakhosi haven't been beyond reproach either, amid talk of a player revolt in their camp. But such troubles could only serve to add spice to a game that has appeared to be losing its spark in recent seasons.

It will be the third time this season that Bucs take on the old enemy, following matches in the MTN8 finals and the first round league fixture.

Yet the will to dominate one another remains strong among players from both camps, just as opposing Bucs and Chiefs fans can't wait to mock each other.

The Buccaneers looked to continue their dominance of their arch-foes when they edged Amakhosi 1-0 to capture the MTN8 championship, but Amakhosi hit back in spectacular fashion with a 2-1 league win last September.

The league title remains the bigger picture for both sides, who have struggled to find consistency. Despite indifferent runs, both are still in the Nedbank Cup and have an equal chance of winning the league as log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

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