Orlando Pirates head coach José Riveiro maintains there is still a lot to play for as far as the league title chase is concerned.
Log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns stretched their lead at the summit to 18 points with their win over AmaZulu in midweek, while Pirates dropped two points against a 10 men Stellenbosch.
The sides meet in a much-hyped top-of-the-table clash at FNB Stadium on Sunday with some people believing the title has already gone to Chloorkop – this is despite the four matches Pirates have in hand.
Riveiro believes the Buccaneers are still in it and the stats back that fact. The coach added that he has a lot to be positive about looking at his squad.
“So there’s nothing around us that can make me feel not or anything else than positive,” said Riviero.
“I’m optimistic. If you have a look at our performances so far in every competition, I think we’ve been part so far of one of the best teams in Pirates’ history.
“It’s about you, if you want to look in the same direction with the same perspective but that’s the way we look at our situation right now. It is something that nobody can discuss. The numbers are there. The performances are there.
“So why should I look at the challenge in a… which direction exactly you want me to look at? We have to be positive because we have reasons to be positive not because I’m not trying to motivate my people, is a fact!
“It depends how you want to put it, but it’s just a fact. And you can also have a look of the games that we play in the league and the games that our opponent or the team who is in the top of the league played already.
“So it’s unreal, the log, you said the log right, and still everything possible and in our hands. Obviously, we have to perform in the level that the challenge requires but there’s a lot of things still to say.”
