With the iconic Soweto derby on the horizon, Orlando Pirates will use their upcoming outings in the domestic arena to warm-up for the February 1 showdown, which has already been declared 'sold out' at Soccer City.
First up for Pirates will be Royal AM in a Betway Premiership clash on Wednesday at the Harry Gwala Stadium, Pietermaritzburg. On Sunday, Pirates will return to KZN for the start of their Nedbank Cup campaign against Richards Bay in a Nedbank Cup last 32-round fixture.
Pirates are coming off a glorious CAF Champions League campaign, in which they were undefeated in Group C. They are one of two clubs in the 16-team competition to complete the group phase undefeated. The highlight of their six-match unbeaten run was defeating CAF's 'Team of the Century' Al Ahly, who boasts 11 CAF Champions League titles.
On Saturday evening, Pirates defeated reigning champions Al Ahly 2-1 in Cairo, making them one of the favourites for the title ahead of next month's quarter-finals.
Royal AM last played at the end of December and since then have been kicking their heels on the sidelines. Ten days ago, their match against Chippa United was called off because the club was reportedly placed under curatorship by SARS over a R40 million tax debt.
This situation has been unsettling for the KZN club, and just over two weeks ago training also came to a halt. However, Royal AM coach John Maduka has been rallying the troops and hastily arranged warm-up friendlies to prepare the team to face the Pirates juggernaut.
José Riveiro, Pirates' Spanish tactician, will be pleased for the break from continental football. The Soweto derby will be his primary focus for now, and the Royal AM and Richards Bay games will help him decide on his combinations for the clash against arch-rivals Chiefs.
Victory in the Soweto Derby is part of the club's drive to challenge Mamelodi Sundowns for league honours this season. After their victory in Cairo, Riveiro is confident that his team will be serious challengers in Africa and the domestic front.
“The win (over Al Ahly) is a message for us, for a young team, and to know that we can compete in scenarios like this one. It is not only about the result, but the capacity to compete, to perform and stay in the game in the difficult times, and that is the most important thing,” said Riveiro.
“The result is important because we are on top of the group. We are happy but again, for me the most important thing is the character and the personality the players showed in a stadium like this one (Cairo) and against a team like Al Ahly.”
Royal AM are languishing in 15th position with merely eight points and in second last place on the standings. They last won a match in October 2024. Since then, they lost four games and drew one. This poor run has contributed to their lowly position in the league table.
Pirates, sitting comfortably in second place with 27 points, are looking to strengthen their title challenge. Under the guidance of Riveiro, the team has adopted an attacking style of play while maintaining a strong defensive structure.
Riveiro's tactics have allowed Pirates to dominate possession and create numerous goal-scoring opportunities, a trend they will likely continue against Royal AM.