Pirates coach wants quality ahead of Champions League

Bucs are in third place in the Absa Premiership, three points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, and will be looking to close the gap when they face Golden Arrows at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Saturday, before hosting Bloemfontein Celtic at the Orlando Stadium three days later.

Sredojevic is aiming to use both these fixtures as a morale-booster ahead of their vital Champions league fixtures against Zimbabwe’s FC Platinum on March 8 in Soweto and away to Guinea’s Horoya on March 16, as they look to to qualify for the knockout stages.

READ: Pirates coach Micho banishes league title talk

Bucs occupy third spot in Group B with five points, behind leaders Tunisian giants Esperance who are on eight and Guinea’s Horoya who have seven points.

“We have to lift the level of quality of our form because we have two tough fixtures in the Champions League that we need to win.

“But in order for that to happen we need to have a good platform in the local matches that would set us on a bouncing board towards the higher requirements of the Champions League games ahead of us,” said the Buccaneers coach.

Meanwhile, winger Luvuyo Memela is looking ahead to the fixtures having returned from a knee injury. The winger says it is important for the team to have all their players available at this stage of the campaign.

“We are entering a tough phase of the season. We are in two competitions, the league and the Champions League, so this is going to put strain on the team which is why it will be important for all our players to be available for selection,” Memela was quoted as saying on the club’s website.

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