Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has shared three reasons why he believes the Soweto giants are ‘still alive’ in the CAF Champions League as the tournament approaches its climax.
Riveiro’s troops are on the brink of reaching the semi-finals as they head into their match against MC Alger with a one-goal advantage from the quarter-final first leg last Tuesday in Algeria, thanks to a strike from Mohau Nkota.
On Tuesday morning, the Spanish coach took the Pirates squad through their paces at Orlando Stadium in Soweto before speaking to the media. He is well aware that winning the Champions League, a feat within his grasp, would undoubtedly cement his place as one of the greatest coaches in the club’s history.
With just one game away from the semis, Pirates, who remain the only unbeaten team in the Champions League, will host MC Alger at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday evening at 18:00 in the return leg of the quarter-finals.
While MC Alger head coach Khaled Ben Yahia remains optimistic, stating that they can still book a spot in the semi-finals, “Where there is life, there is hope,” as he said, Riveiro emphasised the importance of reflecting on the reasons Pirates have made it this far in the Champions League.
RIVEIRO ON THE THREE KEYS TO PIRATES’ CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RUN
According to the three-time MTN8 winning coach, Pirates are still in the tournament due to their attacking, possession-oriented football, the players’ ability to perform under pressure in big games, and their confident, uninhibited play.
“We have to think about the reasons behind why we are still alive in this competition, said Riveiro, who will be leaving Pirates when his contract expires at the end of the season.
“It is about the way we want to play football, it is about personality, the way that the guys are expressing themselves, and tomorrow [Wednesday] we don’t want to be a different team than the team that we were before. That’s the only thing that is on our minds, to go game by game. Tomorrow it is Champions League time, quarterfinals, and we are all in this game.”
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