Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has offered his take on the possibility of reaching a Soweto Derby milestone, stating bluntly, “It means nothing.”
Despite his impending departure at the end of the season, Riveiro stands on the cusp of etching his name in Soweto Derby history.
The Spaniard has two matches to potentially surpass ex-Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter’s record of five Soweto Derby wins in the PSL era and become the most successful coach in the fixture.
With four victories to his name, one more would see Riveiro equal the record, while two would place him at the top.
Following the upcoming Betway Premiership encounter, the Nedbank Cup final offers another chance against Amakhosi, this time with a trophy at stake and the potential for Riveiro to surpass Baxter’s record outright. This provides Riveiro with the platform to conclude his time at the Buccaneers not just as a ‘Cup specialist’ but as the pre-eminent Soweto Derby coach of the modern era.
SOWETO DERBY GLORY OVER PERSONAL MILESTONES: RIVEIRO’S FIRM STANCE
Riveiro heads into the Betway Premiership clash on Saturday afternoon at FNB Stadium against Chiefs on a three-match winning streak in the Soweto Derby.
“It means nothing at all in that sense [record of most wins in the Soweto],” said Riveiro at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg on Thursday.
“I mean, we are looking for a victory because it is a must for us, it is a must for our fans, it is a must for our club, the same way it is for Kaizer Chiefs. That’s the important thing in a derby. We’re going to celebrate a massive football day one more time.
“Stats are fine, it’s something that we will have a look at, maybe at least I, particularly maybe in 20 to 25 years, hopefully, but right now it means nothing, the important thing is to get the three points.
“We really need to come back to the winning track after a couple of not-so-good results in different competitions, that’s it,” concluded Riveiro.
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