Pirates’ Riveiro denies abuse, says everyone was swearing

Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has refuted Chippa United head coach Kwanele Kopo’s claims that he used abusive language in the Buccaneers’ 3-1 Nedbank Cup semifinal win over the Chilli Boyz at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.

Kopo lambasted Riveiro after the game on Saturday, even implying there was a racial element to Riveiro’s behaviour.

Riveiro, however, said he was just trying to defend his own players .

‘My role is to protect and defend my players’

“I don’t have opinions about other colleagues’ opinions, it doesn’t make any sense. Who am I to [argue]? If he feels that we used – how do you call it? Abusive? No,” Riveiro told SABC Sport.

“There were moments of tension between the benches because I was not happy, or comfortable with the situation inside the field – with some behaviours and things happening during the game, that was not related with football at all.

“My role is to try to protect and defend my players. I am a quiet, and extremely peaceful person, but there are moments where you have to stand up and pose some questions about what’s going on, that’s all.

“Then he can give you a description, and I’m ready to hear the words that he says are abusive, or (whether it’s) not abusive because, I think nothing happened out of the lineage of competition, let’s say.

“The swearing came from every angle, not only from our bench. Maybe things are not going the way you want it, or the way you were dreaming when you went to sleep yesterday, and suddenly you find the reality is different, and it’s difficult to control yourself.”