Champions League Exit Pain Lingers For Pirates, But Future Looks Brighter
Orlando Pirates’ early exit from the CAF Champions League still lingers as a painful moment for coach Ouaddou and his squad, after the Buccaneers were knocked out in the second preliminary round by Congolese side Lupopo.
The disappointment was magnified by the fact that Pirates reached the semi-finals last season under José Riveiro, falling just short of the final against eventual champions Pyramids. For a club of Pirates’ stature, missing out on the group stages this time around was a bitter pill to swallow.
Yet, while the continental dream ended too soon, Pirates have responded emphatically on the domestic front. The 1995 African champions have already secured three trophies this season — the MTN8, Carling Knockout, and Carling Cup — underlining their dominance at home.
With the Betway Premiership and Nedbank Cup still in play, Ouaddou remains confident that the season can still be one to remember.
“I’m not happy about not participating in the Champions League — for me as a coach, and for the club, that is always a target,” Ouaddou admitted. “It was a big disappointment. My heart was broken, but that’s football. We can’t cry for the whole season.”
Instead, the focus has shifted firmly to what lies ahead.
“We have to write another chapter now, another story,” he said. “That’s exactly what we’re doing — focusing on what’s on the table. The players are doing fantastically.”
Ouaddou also warned that the true test of Pirates’ character will come in the latter stages of the campaign.
“The most difficult part always starts in the second half of the season,” he noted. “That’s when we will see the real consequences of our work. But I’m very confident. If my players respect football, everything is possible.”
For Ouaddou, “respecting football” goes beyond matchday performances — it is about training standards, tactical discipline, lifestyle, diet and recovery.
Currently top of the league standings, Pirates boast a squad brimming with quality, including nine Bafana Bafana internationals. With momentum on their side, the Buccaneers are firmly in the hunt for both the league title and the Nedbank Cup as they look to turn continental heartbreak into domestic glory.
