Riveiro hails mutual respect between Pirates and Sundowns

Ahead of Saturday’s MTN8 final, Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has revealed that there is a huge respect between Bucs and Mamelodi Sundowns.

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The rivals meet in the final at a sold-out Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

Last season, the Buccaneers and Downs met four times, with the Pretoria outfit registering two wins, while Bucs Pirates won one game and the other one ended in a draw.

The sole victory for the Sea Robbers was in the second leg of the MTN8 semi-finals, which they won 3-0 before going on to lift the trophy.

Sundowns avenged that defeat in the league encounter recently, beating Bucs 1-0 in a DStv Premiership tie last month.

“We know each other very well. There is big respect between us in both directions. That means that we both spend time analysing each other. It’s nice to play against them because they are a team that is asking many different questions during the game, as we do,” said Riveiro this week.

“It is also attractive for them to play Orlando Pirates. Every time we finish these types of games, both teams are better teams.”

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Riveiro added they are going to ensure that they play to their best so that they can end up being crowned champions on the day and bring smiles on the Bucs fans.

“I know that our fans are looking forward to seeing us in these types of games,” he continued.

“Here we are one more time. We are going to do our best, we will give it everything to make it possible (in order to win the match) because we don’t want to be only be in the final. We want to be the better team, and if we are the better team, we will get a good result.”