Watch: 'The League is More Important Than the CAF Champions League,' Says Orlando Pirates Coach Jose Riveiro
Orlando Pirates head coach, Jose Riveiro, has reiterated his belief that the league competition holds greater significance than continental tournaments like the CAF Champions League.
The Buccaneers are currently at the top of the South African Premier Division table with 21 points, having won all seven of their opening matches as they seek to end a decade-long drought without a league title. While they have experienced success in domestic cup competitions, clinching five trophies in the past two-and-a-half years, Riveiro maintains that the league is the ultimate test of a team's consistency and quality.
Despite his team's strong showing in the domestic cup tournaments, the Spanish coach, who is in the final year of his three-year contract with Orlando Pirates, remains adamant that the league holds more weight than continental competitions.
"Absolutely, the league is the most important competition in every country, more than the European Champions League or the African Champions League," Riveiro told Robert Marawa on MSW.
He further explained why the league holds such importance, noting that it involves 30 matches, both home and away, played under the same conditions for all teams. "It's not about draws or having a good or bad day. It's 30 games, and at the end of the season, the team with the most points is the fair winner of the competition," he said.
Riveiro added that the league competition is where teams truly test their mettle. "It's a place where you test yourself week in and week out. You have to win your home games and also play against teams with less budget but potentially more motivation," he said. "It's about coping with the challenges, maintaining focus, and being motivated to win every match. That's where we've seen improvement since my first two seasons here."
Orlando Pirates will also be focusing on their continental ambitions as they prepare for their CAF Champions League group-stage debut against Algeria's CR Belouizdad on November 26. This will be the first time the Sea Robbers have reached the group stages of Africa's premier club competition since 2018.
Riveiro's comments underline the importance of domestic consistency as the foundation of long-term success, with the league remaining the central focus of the Pirates' ambitions this season.
The Buccaneers are currently at the top of the South African Premier Division table with 21 points, having won all seven of their opening matches as they seek to end a decade-long drought without a league title. While they have experienced success in domestic cup competitions, clinching five trophies in the past two-and-a-half years, Riveiro maintains that the league is the ultimate test of a team's consistency and quality.
Despite his team's strong showing in the domestic cup tournaments, the Spanish coach, who is in the final year of his three-year contract with Orlando Pirates, remains adamant that the league holds more weight than continental competitions.
"Absolutely, the league is the most important competition in every country, more than the European Champions League or the African Champions League," Riveiro told Robert Marawa on MSW.
He further explained why the league holds such importance, noting that it involves 30 matches, both home and away, played under the same conditions for all teams. "It's not about draws or having a good or bad day. It's 30 games, and at the end of the season, the team with the most points is the fair winner of the competition," he said.
Riveiro added that the league competition is where teams truly test their mettle. "It's a place where you test yourself week in and week out. You have to win your home games and also play against teams with less budget but potentially more motivation," he said. "It's about coping with the challenges, maintaining focus, and being motivated to win every match. That's where we've seen improvement since my first two seasons here."
Orlando Pirates will also be focusing on their continental ambitions as they prepare for their CAF Champions League group-stage debut against Algeria's CR Belouizdad on November 26. This will be the first time the Sea Robbers have reached the group stages of Africa's premier club competition since 2018.
Riveiro's comments underline the importance of domestic consistency as the foundation of long-term success, with the league remaining the central focus of the Pirates' ambitions this season.
