Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has refused to give into suggestions that their Nedbank Cup final defeat to rivals Kaizer Chiefs was down to their hectic schedule.
After clinching the MTN8 trophy earlier on in the season, the Buccaneers still campaigned in the CAF Champions League, Betway Premiership and Ke Yona Cup, all that has since slipped away.
Speaking to the media at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night after their narrow 2-1 defeat, Riveiro shrugged off any suggestions that their hectic schedule played part in their latest defeat.
“There is no way I can measure the impact of the schedule,” the Spaniard told the media.
“It’s a subjective reflection. If we go to the data probably, I can give you a bit of an explanation.
“But after losing the final, if I tell you now what you’re looking for that I’m going to tell you, and it’s not gonna happen, then you know you will try to paint a different picture.
“We are in the end of the season, we are in May, we are playing the last games of the season – us, Chiefs.
“There’s teams with 40 games; there’s teams with 26 but there’s nothing we can do.
“Like I said already, many, many times in the season, we have a lot of games in our legs. We’ve been doing very well in every competition.
“We are very lucky to play tonight. Today I think is our game number 44 or somewhere there.”
