Jose’s Fury: PSL Gives Chiefs Unfair Advantage

Jose’s Fury: PSL Gives Chiefs Unfair Advantage

Orlando Pirates Coach Jose Riveiro Blames Fixture Congestion for Draw Against Royal AM

Orlando Pirates were held to a 1-1 draw against Royal AM in the DStv Premiership on Wednesday night at Orlando Stadium, with former Bucs midfielder Menzi Masuku scoring the equalizer in the dying minutes of the match. The result has left the Sea Robbers vulnerable, opening a gap for SuperSport United to overtake them in the second position.

Pirates head coach, Jose Riveiro, was quick to shift the blame for the draw to the congested fixture schedule that his side has been subjected to. Speaking in a post-match press conference, Riveiro criticized the lack of rest his team had prior to the match against Royal AM.

Riveiro stated that

“There is no periodization when you don’t have time to rest. The physiological studies say you need three days to rest and we did not get that. But it is not my business and I don’t decide when we play.”

He added that

“We just try to do our best in order to guarantee that we can compete in every game because we cannot guarantee that we can win every game. We did that against Royal AM, and we are going to do that against Kaizer Chiefs this weekend. We are going to compete with an opponent that is going to get a few more days than us to rest. So that means we have to be smart to use every strategy to make sure that we can balance that disadvantage.”

The Buccaneers’ next match is a crucial Nedbank Cup semifinal clash against arch-rivals, Kaizer Chiefs, on Saturday. Riveiro acknowledged that his team would be at a disadvantage with less rest than Chiefs, but he expressed confidence in his team’s ability to overcome the odds.

“We have a lot of quality in this squad and we have been scoring a lot of goals. Missing chances in one game is not enough to get us worried,” he said.

Pirates have already won the MTN8 Cup this season, but they will be looking to add the Nedbank Cup to their trophy cabinet. They face either Sekhukhune United or Stellenbosch FC in the final should they get past Chiefs in the semifinal.

As the season approaches its end, there is a lot at stake for Pirates, SuperSport United, and Kaizer Chiefs. The race for the second position and a spot in the CAF Champions League is heating up, with Pirates and SuperSport United separated by just two points. Meanwhile, Chiefs will be looking to finish the season strongly and win their first trophy under head coach Stuart Baxter.

The pressure is on for all three teams, and the final stretch of the season promises to be an exciting one.