Pirates coach Riveiro expecting a complex game against Chippa

Free scoring Orlando Pirates will take on Chippa United in a Nedbank Cup semifinal clash at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday at 3pm.

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The Buccaneers go into this clash having scored 18 goals in their last five matches in all competitions, including seven past Golden Arrows in a league match last month.

Even though he acknowledges that his team are clear favourites going into this tie against the Chilli Boys, coach Jose Riveiro is anticipating a tough game against Chippa.

“The players know very well how difficult the game is going to be. Even though we have so much respect for our opponents, we’ll do our best to win it. Full respect for Chippa United, they’re doing well and they’re here [in the semifinals] and like I said it’s going to be a complex game from every aspect. It’s going to be physical, tactical , but we’re ready to enjoy it,” said Riveiro.

“We’re happy that we once again find ourselves at this stage of yet another competition. We are anticipating a very difficult match [against Chippa], but we want to be in the final. Obviously, we would have loved to fight for the league title as well, but that is not possible anymore,” added the Spanish coach.

With Pirates having played so many games in a short space of time, Riveiro could be forgiven for saying that his players are tired ahead of the grueling schedule, but the Spaniard is not making any excuses ahead of the Chippa clash.

“It is what it is like I said previously, that the scheduling of games is something that is out of our control. What is in our control is to use the resources that we have and to make sure that the players are ready to compete every two or three days. The club, obviously, is helping us to have good camps and good nutrition, to rest as much as possible and compete.

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“Like I said before, for us as coaches, we would love to have four to five days to prepare for each and every game, but right now that is impossible. Right now we have to design strategies to make sure that the players rest as much as possible and to show the players what is expected in the next game without practicing that on the field,” commented Riveiro.

Chippa come into this game on the back of a 2-1 loss against Moroka Swallows on Wednesday and the Chilli Boys will be looking to bounce back to winning ways against Pirates.