REPORTS; Riveiro confident Spain camp will strengthen Bucs due to..
Orlando Pirates tactician Jose Riveiro has high hopes that their preseason camp in his homeland, Spain, will lay the groundwork for the 2024/25 season, also suggesting the tour was a tool to market SA football in the country.
The Sea Robbers, who also had a similar preseason tour last year, arrived in Malaga yesterday to begin their camp at a world-class Marbella Football Center.
“Obviously it [their Spanish tour] is an opportunity for the team to complete preparations during the preseason to guarantee that we can face tough opponents to be prepared for what’s coming for us,” Riveiro told sportscaster Thomas Mlambo, who’s also in Spain with the team courtesy of one of the club’s partners, SuperSport Bet.
“At the same time it’s an opportunity to represent the club overseas… to show the best part of South African football in a place like Spain. We are really motivated to repeat what we did one year ago or improve it if it’s possible.”
The Buccaneers’ first preseason game in Spain will be against English championship side Plymouth Argyle, who recently appointed Manchester United and England great Wayne Rooney as their coach, in Malaga tomorrow (8pm SA time).
Riveiro’s men will then lock horns with Spanish La Liga outfit Sevilla in Sevilla on Monday. The Sea Robbers wrap up their European tour by facing Qatar Stars League outfit Al Sadd SC next week Friday in Malaga as well. The side’s skipper Innocent Maela has tasked fellow senior players with helping the newcomers settle in during this trip, cautioning them to expect tough games against Argyle, Sevilla and Al Sadd.
“As the senior players, we need to make sure that the new guys settle in well, feel welcomed and enjoy themselves…take in all the experience and work hard. In terms of expectations, they have to expect tough games. The opponents that we are going to face are top sides, so our training sessions are going to be tough,” Maela said.
Angolan winger Delvi Miguel Vieira, commonly referred to as Gilberto, is the only new signing Pirates have confirmed so far. The 23-year-old joins Bucs from Petro de Luanda.
