Interview
Ouaddou on Bucs’ untimely CAFCL elimination
Photograph: psl.co.za
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has responded as to whether the Buccaneers’ early CAF Champions League exit is a blessing in disguise for the rest of the 2025/26 marketing campaign.
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The Soweto giants had been despatched packing within the second preliminary spherical by the Democratic Republic of Congo outfit FC Saint Eloi-Lupopo.
Since then, Ouaddou guided Pirates to the Carling Knockout Cup and Carling Cup trophies and his facet is 2 factors clear on the summit of the Betway Premiership desk, with one recreation in hand.
When quizzed on whether or not the untimely elimination in Africa’s premier membership competitors is a bonus for his staff, the previous Morocco worldwide admitted to being upset on the exit, however confused the significance of shortly dusting themselves off.
“No one can reply to that, not collaborating within the Champions League. You may guess that as a coach it is certainly one of my targets and I believe it is one of many targets of the membership, so it was a bit disappointing after we did not handle to undergo to the group phases,” Ouaddou mentioned.
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“It was like my coronary heart was damaged, but it surely’s lifetime of soccer. Are we going to cry all day or all of the season? I believe it is a part of the soccer, we have now to write down one other chapter, one other story, it is what we’re doing, specializing in what we have now on the desk and the gamers are doing it in a improbable approach.
Having masterminded a stellar first spherical of the season, Ouaddou is braced for a harder second spherical, the place video games are anticipated to come back thick and quick.
“Let’s examine what occurs within the second a part of the season as a result of like I advised you, probably the most troublesome factor will begin within the second a part of the season. And we’ll see the consistency of our staff however I am very assured,” he added.
Pirates will return to motion with a Betway Premiership conflict towards Sekhukhune United at Peter Mokaba Stadium on 24 January 2026.