Did international break disadvantage Orlando Pirates for MTN8 final? | OneFootball

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Ouaddou addresses impact of international break on Pirates' MTN8 chances

Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/ BackPagePix

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has weighed in on whether the FIFA international break affected his team for the upcoming MTN8 final.

The Soweto giants, heading into the deciding match as defending champions, are set to battle Stellenbosch FC at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, 13 September.

Prior to the top eight final, Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos called up seven Pirates players for the World Cup Qualifiers, while Thabo Moloisane was the only one selected from Stellies.

While many suggest the international hiatus may affect the Sea Robbers’ title defense, the Bucs mentor shrugged off the claims.

“For me, maybe I’m wrong but I don’t believe too much in tiredness. You can be tired mentally but physically when you have passion, when you love your club, when you love what you are doing, sometimes the motivation is more than the fitness consideration,” said Ouaddou.

“I will make you an example, we played Mamelodi Sundowns in the previous stage [MTN semi-final second leg] and they rested maybe 80 percent of their players, and we played 95 percent of the players three days before and my players were at the top in the second half.

“So, I don’t know if I’m wrong or not, but I don’t believe too much in that [tiredness]. You know with a cup match, motivation comes from deep, it comes from mentality, it comes from the heart, so I’m expecting my players to be ready and to be starving.

Pirates will be aiming to lift the MTN8 title for the fourth consecutive season, while the Cape Winelands outfit is searching for its first-ever triumph in the competition.