Pirates, Pyramids Set For  CAF Champions League Semi-Final

Pirates, Pyramids Set For  CAF Champions League Semi-Final

Soweto’s Orlando Stadium will be the centre of African football attention on Saturday evening, as former champions, Orlando Pirates return to the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League for the first time since 2013.

The South African football giants take on Egyptian side, Pyramids FC who are looking at adding their name to the Egyptian clubs that have lifted Africa’s most coveted club competition title after Al Ahly and Zamalek.

Here is a summary of what the coaches and players had to say ahead of Saturday’s clash.

Orlando Pirates Head Coach - Jose Riveiro

“We don’t think further than tomorrow’s game but obviously we are so happy and so proud to be part of the last stages of the competition. It is something very special for us especially for the players who will play the game tomorrow and try to do everything in order to one more time to get a good result. ”

“It is about the difficulty of the match, the huge task ahead, two games to play against a very good team but we are in a good space and we are ready to go”. 

Orlando Pirates Captain - Innocent Maela

“We are focused as ever, we have had a few days to train and prepare making sure that we are ready. I believe it will be a game that is not only exciting but competitive.”

“We have always said that as a football club this is the space that we want to find ourselves in - competing against the best on the continent and obviously for us to find ourselves in this position it means we have been doing something well”.  

Pyramids FC Head Coach - Krunoslav Jurčić

“I feel excited. What I can say is that as a club we all united and enjoying this moment in the competition. This is one big gift for us in this season we are playing good football.”

“I know a lot of information about Orlando, I watched a lot of matches. I am expecting one tough and difficult match for us. But I want to repeat that we are having a good moment with this team [Pyramids] and I think that all the people coming to the stadium and those who will be watching win TV will enjoy this game”.  

 I have a very good group of players and the atmosphere is good. We are a club without big traditions and one club without a lot of supporters, so when you come to this level of the competition playing in front of 20 000 or 40 000 spectators the players need period for adaptation. Step by step through other encounters we have played, we have reached a point where we can be competitive in the competition.” 

Pyramids FC Player - Dodo Elgabas  

“I am very happy to be in this moment of the competition. We as the players are proud to be at this stage of the competition. That is something that we worked for and everyone in the club now feels we can do something in this competition”. 

“We know we are playing a big team with big history. We know it’s not going to be easy but as players we know we can get something in this first leg.”

- CAF