Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says squad rotation will be crucial as the Buccaneers navigate a demanding schedule across multiple competitions.
Pirates continued their CAF Champions League campaign on Saturday with a 1-0 victory over African Stars in the first leg of the second preliminary round.
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The Soweto giants still have three domestic competitions to contest after recently suffering defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 final.
Ouaddou expects Pirates to play close to 60 matches this season and insists he will need to make full use of his squad to manage the workload and keep his players fresh.
“We have a lot of fixtures. We play in the Carling [Knockout] Cup,” said Ouaddou.
“We will play in the second leg, we have the derby. This season we are going to play nearly 60 games.
“So, if you have seen the way that I’m working, the principle of rotation, with starting XI, with impact players. You understand that I never call my players substitution. There is no substitution. There is only players and impact players.”
Ouaddou also explained why regular starters such as Deon Hotto did not feature against African Stars, saying he felt there was no need to call on the experienced player for the match.
“So, sometimes Hoto is part of the starting XI. Today he was part of the impact players.
“Unfortunately, the game didn’t give me the opportunity to bring him. But for sure, we still have one game left. Hopefully, he will be able to bring his experience.”