Jose Riveiro has expressed great excitement over his players’ commitment as Orlando Pirates continue to chase the Caf Champions League qualification.
Pirates are in a bitter battle for the DStv Premiership’s second spot, which guarantees Champions League football, with equally determined Stellenbosch FC.
With four games to play before the end of the season, the two sides are separated by three points and have little room for errors in the latter stages of the campaign.
Pirates are third on the log table with 46 points with Stellies in second place.
Riverio’s men host the revenge-driven Chippa United in a league clash at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday at 19:30, while Stellies welcome AmaZulu FC at Danie Craven Stadium at the same time.
Pirates defeated Chippa by 3-1 on Saturday to book their spot in the Nedbank Cup final set for June 1.
The Sea Robbers have been in amazing form in the league recently and are also on course to defend their Nedbank Cup title.
Riveiro, who is looking to equal his last season’s achievement of winning two cups and finishing second, beams with confidence as he reckons his team is in a better space.
☠️ ⏪️ 𝗬𝗔𝗗𝗛𝗖𝗧𝗔𝗠 ⏪️
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) May 5, 2024
🏆 #NedbankCup Semifinal
📆 04 May 2024
🏟 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
⚽️ FT || @ChippaUnitedFC 1 - 3 @orlandopirates
⚫️⚪️🔴⭐️#OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/bTmBXFf1OV
The Spanish coach has pointed out the changes his team has gone through coming into this season, with new players coming in while others had to pursue their careers elsewhere.
“It’s part of the process and now we are playing with more confidence and competing in the same way that we competed in around the same time last season,” Riveiro said after the victory over the Chilli Boys in the cup game.
“The key or the reason is the talent of the players and commitment with the way we want to play and the happiness.
“Happiness means that we have confidence, it means there’s camaraderie, brotherhood and all the things that we have to put around these talented players to make them perform the way that they’ve been doing this year.”
☠️ 🔎 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 🔍
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) May 7, 2024
🏆 #DStvPrem
⚽️ @orlandopirates vs @ChippaUnitedFC
📆 Wednesday, 08 May 2024
🏟 Orlando Stadium
🕢 19h30
📺 SuperSport PSL
🎫 @TicketProSA 👉🏿 https://t.co/ptc8hQcnl0
🖥 Read the Match Preview 👉🏿 https://t.co/RZd6qW6Sdr
⚫⚪🔴⭐… pic.twitter.com/iB1ouQutbS
