Riveiro says Pirates can’t afford to lose against Pyramids

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has issued a challenge to his charges ahead of their clash against Pyramids FC.

Pirates host the Egyptian side at the FNB Stadium this evening in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final clash (kick-off is at 6pm.

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Speaking ahead of this match, Riveiro said the Buccaneers cannot afford to lose against Pyramids if they are to meet the objectives they set out for themselves before the season started.

“We know that we cannot afford to lose any game if we want to really compete with the current champions,” said Riveiro.

“In the knockout games, it’s the same: you win, or you go home, and for me, that’s the most important thing,” he added.

“Whatever is coming, we try to face the game with the same intention, and that’s the way we handle it,” he added.

“We don’t have any other option, we can’t just stop, we have to go again and again. The moment you shine at a club like Pirates and decide early in the season that you want to fight for every competition, then you have to be consistent with that, We don’t complain,” concluded Riveiro.

Road to the Champions League semifinal

Pirates reached the final of the CAF Champions League after a hard-fought 1-0 aggregate win over MC Alger in the quarter-finals. The Buccaneers beat the Algerian side 1-0 away before playing to a goalless draw in Orlando.

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Pyramids, the surprise package of this year’s tournament, edged AS FAR Rabat 4-3 on aggregate to reach the semifinal of the CAF Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. They convincingly beat Rabat 4-1 in the first leg of their quarterfinal clash at home before losing 2-0 in Morocco in the second leg.