Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has vowed that they will “sweat” for the CAF Champions League after clinching the 2025/26 Betway Premiership title.
The Buccaneers were crowned as the PSL champions on Saturday after beating Orbit College in an intriguing season finale. It was a memorable feat for the Soweto giants who broke Mamelodi Sundowns‘ eight-year grip on the PSL title.
The triumph also ended Pirates’ 14-year league crown drought. After years of switching coaches, with the likes of Vladimir Vermezovic, Milutin Sredojevic, Kjell Jonevret, Muhsin Ertugral, Rulani Mokwena, Josef Zinnbauer and Jose Riveiro attempting, it was Ouaddou who delivered the ultimate prize in South African football.
It atoned for the heartbreak of preliminary round elimination from the Champions League. The exit from the continental competition came from last season’s impressive run of reaching the semi-finals under Riveiro.
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Now, having witnessed Sundowns lifting the Champions League, Pirates have set themselves a target to conquer the continent. Having earned themselves rights to participate in this competition again next term, the Buccaneers are looking to be crowned African Champions for the first time since 1995.
They were the first South African side to win this tournament, which Sundowns now boast of two titles. Under Roger de Sa in 2013, Pirates almost claimed a second star when they lost to Al Ahly in the final of the Champions League.
Ouaddou sees his team as cut for continental glory, looking at their facilities and quality players.
“I think about of the continent, the necessity to have this physicality in the team. We have some good quality, but I think we have to reinforce our team in terms of physicality but I’m happy with the team that we have now. It’s important to compete against the best teams,” said Ouaddou on SuperSport TV’s Extra Time.
“You have seen against Lupopo, for example, at the beginning of the season. It’s completely another type of football, and you need to match these kind of games when you are playing the Champions League.
“I’m not a magician, but what I can promise to the people, like we did this season, we are going to prepare for that [Champions League]. We are going to sweat for that until we make them happy.”
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