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Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro sees no need to fuss about the possibility of becoming the first team to win the Top eight title three times on the trot until that becomes a reality.
Pirates, who've won the two previous editions of the MTN8, both at Moses Mabhida Stadium, face Stellenbosch in another final of this competition at the same venue on Saturday (6pm).The Sea Robbers have won the Top Eight 12 times, under different sponsors, since winning the first edition in 1972, albeit it would be the first time they win for three consecutive seasons, should they outwit Stellies.
"I am not a person who thinks so much about those things [the records] until those things are facts. The moment that it's a fact, whatever we did or whatever we achieved, maybe we can speak about it,'' Riveiro said during a press conference at Rand Stadium this week.
As much as he emphasised that his troops were "smart" enough to understand that Stellenbosch were not going to be pushovers, also feeling tomorrow's one will be the toughest final out of the previous four they've won since his arrival in May 2022, Riveiro didn't hide that they embrace being dubbed "favourites".
"Our players are smart to appreciate, they know football, they appreciate what Stellenbosch is doing. They are not taking Stellenbosch like a minor thing, you can be sure of that. I will say of all those finals it is the toughest one in my opinion because of the characteristics of our opponent,'' Riveiro said.
"So for me one thing is to feel that you are favourite, which is something again that we need to accept in our space. We are Orlando Pirates, it's not about Stellenbosch. It’s not about playing against any other team that you may want to mention."
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