'It's a normal thing,' says Riveiro of Bucs' chase for second position and defending the Nedbank Cup

Chasing second place in the DStv Premiership while trying to defend the cup competition they won last season has been described as a normal routine by Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro.

Pirates face Chippa United in the semifinals of the Nedbank Cup at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday and the Bucs coach said their huge motivation will carry them in this match.

Winning the last four league matches which has put them in direct competition with Stellenbosch for second place in the Premiership is the tonic Pirates need as they face a Chippa side that Riveiro said will be complex to play against.

“When you playing for a club like Pirates you have to be prepared to arrive in the last stages of the season fighting for big objectives and that's what we want. We're happy to one more time find ourselves fighting for a final and to have the opportunity to be together in the final. 

“We know that it's going to be a difficult match and we want to prepare for that because we want to be in that final. We like to be fighting for the league as well which is not possible any more. But ja, we're playing for Orlando Pirates and we need to be ready to be in the last stages of each and every season fighting for important objectives.

“Right now there's two (objectives). Like I said we're in the final stages and we want to finish the season in the second position, which is not a minor thing.

“I don't want to say we're comfortable or not comfortable in those scenarios. It's something that we need to show in each and every game that we're ready to do it. But it's a normal thing in a big club like we're.”

The only disappointing part for Riveiro about his second season with Pirates will be the fact that again they failed to match Mamelodi Sundowns who galloped to their seventh successive league title with a 5-1 win over fallen giants Kaizer Chiefs this week.

Riveiro insisted that every game for Pirates is important hence they'll want to demonstrate that against an improved Chippa in Gqeberha on Saturday.

“We're Orlando Pirates and we have to perform in each and every game, we know. The players know it and we know it as the coaching staff. There's nothing knew for us or more tough or difficult. We have to perform in every game and that's why we're here.

“We're used to facing these types of games and the management of the group is determined by many factors. Moments of form, suspensions, injuries and we try to make the right calls and take right decisions. But it's easy because everybody involved wants to win.”

Pirates come to Saturday's encounter with superb form having won their last five matches in all competitions, scoring 18 goals and conceding three. 

Chippa, under the guidance of Kwanele Kope and Thabo September, have also had a great run of four successive victories including a cup win before they were humbled by AmaZulu and Moroka Swallows in their last two league matches.

The two sides will meet again in a league match in Orlando on Wednesday after Saturday's showdown.