Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has warned that this will be a vastly different Buccaneers team that will take on Kaizer Chiefs in their Nedbank Cup semi-final Soweto Derby at the FNB Stadium this Saturday, and to not put any store in previous Derby results.

 

Riveiro’s team has not lost a match since their last Derby defeat against Kaizer Chiefs in February, and they are now on an eight-match winning streak in league and cup fixtures.

 

The Vodacom-sponsored team is hitting top form at a crucial stage of the season, with their CAF Champions League aspirations also still on track.

 

All of this brings a totally new mindset to a Soweto Derby that Kaizer Chiefs have dominated of late, and Riveiro believes his team has learned their previous Derby lessons well going into Saturday’s fixture.

 

“The Soweto Derby is one of the biggest games around the world in terms of passion and the feeling around this game. It’s a new experience for us together and we’re learning. We’ve learned from the previous Derbies and won’t make the same mistakes. Now we have an opportunity to express ourselves in a different way compared with the recent Derbies, and for sure we will not miss that chance. The result depends on many things, but what is 100% sure is that you’re going to see a different Orlando Pirates in this Derby,” Riveiro said.

 

The Spanish coach said he is very happy with where his team is at, at this crucial moment in the season.

 

“We are privileged, because of the work we have done throughout the season, to now have the opportunity to play for important titles for the club and for ourselves in the future. We feel that we are arriving at this moment in the season in a very good space.”

 

It’s a sentiment that is shared by his players, who are determined to keep chasing the glory they still have an opportunity to play for.

 

“Coach is right when he says this will be a different Orlando Pirates for the Derby,” says defender Tapelo Xoki.

 

“We have the confidence, the belief and the players. And now we also have the experience. For most of us the two recent Derbies were a cagey affair where not many of us had been in that situation. But now we’ve experienced it and we know what the Derby means. We know what our goals and targets are for the season and we’re not going to let anybody take that away from us. Kaizer Chiefs have taken six points from us in the league, but the Nedbank Cup was part of our goal from the start and we’ll go through them to get it. It is going to be a different Derby for sure.”

 

As one of the more experienced players in the team, forward Kermit Erasmus says this point in an already long season comes down to pure passion amongst the players.

 

“At this point in the season it’s about putting in a bit more extra work to counter that fatigue. It’s now all about who wants it more. If your desire and passion is there to want to achieve great things with a beautiful club, then you’ll put in the extra work to do so.

 

“This is a great period for us to be part of as a team. To get to the end of the season with a lot of things to play for – the semi-final of the Nedbank Cup and entrenching our second place on the DStv Premiership log. It’s a good position to be in because most other players are already thinking of their holidays, but for us we’re excited about what we can still win.”