Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is of the view that their fixture against Mamelodi Sundowns is always beneficial to both teams as far as improving each other is concerned.
Having already faced off in the league, where Sundowns won 1-0 at Orlando Stadium two weeks ago, the two giants meet again on Saturday at Moses Mabhida Stadium in the MTN8 final. This sold-out game kicks off at 6pm.
“It’s nice to play against Sundowns because they are a team that ask many different questions during the game as we [also] do, so I think it’s also attractive for them to play Pirates,” Riveiro said during a media conference at Rand Stadium, where they train, yesterday.
“It’s always a thing that after this game, both teams are better teams, in my opinion. It’s the first time that we meet them in the final [since he joined at the start of last season] and I think that will bring about differences in approaches or maybe not...I don’t know.”
The Spaniard further argued that there was mutual respect between the two teams. “We know each other very well. I think there’s big respect between us. That means we are both spending time analysing each other and trying to understand what we are both doing,” Riveiro said.
Pirates head into this Wafa-Wafa decider still licking their wounds after being dumped out of the Caf Champions League by minnows Jwaneng Galaxy from Botswana last Friday.
Galaxy won 5-4 on penalties after the second leg of the competition’s second preliminary phase had finished 1-0 in favour of Pirates, meaning the aggregate score was 1-all after Jwaneng won the home leg 1-0 as well.
Riveiro has emphasised there was no need to cry over spilt milk in reference to their Champions League exit, focusing on defending their MTN8 title.
“I am fully focused on the final. I am not a person used to drama. It [the Champions League] is done [and] there’s nothing we can do about it anymore. What we can do is to do our best this week.
"We must know we need to have a very good game if we want to be the champions one more time, that’s where our attention is,” Riveiro said.
Riveiro believes Sundowns bring best out of Pirates
'It's nice to face them because they ask different questions'
Image: Gallo Images/Lefty Shivambu
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is of the view that their fixture against Mamelodi Sundowns is always beneficial to both teams as far as improving each other is concerned.
Having already faced off in the league, where Sundowns won 1-0 at Orlando Stadium two weeks ago, the two giants meet again on Saturday at Moses Mabhida Stadium in the MTN8 final. This sold-out game kicks off at 6pm.
“It’s nice to play against Sundowns because they are a team that ask many different questions during the game as we [also] do, so I think it’s also attractive for them to play Pirates,” Riveiro said during a media conference at Rand Stadium, where they train, yesterday.
“It’s always a thing that after this game, both teams are better teams, in my opinion. It’s the first time that we meet them in the final [since he joined at the start of last season] and I think that will bring about differences in approaches or maybe not...I don’t know.”
The Spaniard further argued that there was mutual respect between the two teams. “We know each other very well. I think there’s big respect between us. That means we are both spending time analysing each other and trying to understand what we are both doing,” Riveiro said.
Pirates head into this Wafa-Wafa decider still licking their wounds after being dumped out of the Caf Champions League by minnows Jwaneng Galaxy from Botswana last Friday.
Galaxy won 5-4 on penalties after the second leg of the competition’s second preliminary phase had finished 1-0 in favour of Pirates, meaning the aggregate score was 1-all after Jwaneng won the home leg 1-0 as well.
Riveiro has emphasised there was no need to cry over spilt milk in reference to their Champions League exit, focusing on defending their MTN8 title.
“I am fully focused on the final. I am not a person used to drama. It [the Champions League] is done [and] there’s nothing we can do about it anymore. What we can do is to do our best this week.
"We must know we need to have a very good game if we want to be the champions one more time, that’s where our attention is,” Riveiro said.
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