The moment all staunch football fans have been waiting for is fast approaching. Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch FC will be on the battlefield for the MTN8 title at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
Pirates will not only be on a mission to defend their title. They will also be aiming to make history by becoming the first team in the Premier Soccer League era to win the MTN8 three times in a row.
José Riveiro has been at the wheel since joining the Buccaneers in July 2022. He has won four cup finals without fail and will be leading the Sea Robbers to their fifth final. The Spanish coach won the MNT8 and Nedbank Cup twice.
Possible record-breaking moment
Riveiro said the team will not allow the possible record-breaking moment to cloud their approach to the game. He was speaking to the media during a press conference at Rand Stadium on Tuesday morning,
“I am usually not the type to dwell too much on those things until they happen or achieve them. And then we can start having that conversation. So, it is still something that is a possibility,” Riveiro said.
“All that we are thinking about now are ways how we will win the match. And the consequences of winning the match will be welcome.
“But in the end, what we have to do is to prepare well to win the game. And that is where the focus is right now.”
Despite going into the game as favourites, with the majority of the sold-out 56,000 Moses Mabhida crowd set to be behind them, Riveiro and his troops have a tough task on their hands.
Tough task on their hands
The Buccaneers will be up against an exciting and dangerous Stellenbosch side on transition. A side that eliminated Mamelodi Sundowns. Stellies beat Sundowns home and away during their MTN8 semi-finals.
“We just must accept Stellenbosch for who they are, and we respect them big time.
“[My team has] faced them four times last season and only beat them once. It took us 94 minutes to beat them against 10 men and did not get a result in all the other games.
“So, we know what it means to play Stellenbosch. And we have to accept that this is going to be a game where we will constantly be under threat. Because there will be transitions, it doesn’t matter how good we will prepared. We know it’s coming,” Riveiro added.
