Orlando Pirates' early CAFCL exit an advantage? Abdeslam Ouaddou responds | OneFootball

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Ouaddou on Bucs' premature CAFCL elimination

Photo: psl.co.za

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has responded to whether the Buccaneers' early CAF Champions League exit is a blessing in disguise for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign.

The Soweto giants were sent packing in the second preliminary round 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 side is two points clear at the summit of the Betway Premiership table, with one game in hand.

When quizzed on whether the premature elimination in Africa's premier club competition is an advantage for his team, the former Morocco international admitted to being disappointed at the exit, but stressed the importance of quickly dusting themselves off.

“Nobody can answer to that, not participating in the Champions League. You can guess that as a coach it's one of my targets and I think it's one of the targets of the club, so it was a bit disappointing when we didn't manage to go through to the group stages,” Ouaddou said.

"It was like my heart was broken, but it's life of football. Are we going to cry all day or all the season? I think it's part of the football, we have to write another chapter, another story, it's what we are doing, focusing on what we have on the table and the players are doing it in a fantastic way.

Having masterminded a stellar first round of the season, Ouaddou is braced for a tougher second round, where games are expected to come thick and fast.

“Let's see what happens in the second part of the season because like I told you, the most difficult thing will start in the second part of the season. And we will see the consistency of our team but I'm very confident,” he added.

Pirates will return to action with a Betway Premiership clash against Sekhukhune United at Peter Mokaba Stadium on 24 January 2026.