Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro says he cannot measure what hurts more between losing the Nedbank Cup final and exiting the CAF Champions League as both bear the same pain.
Pirates were on a good run competing on all fronts at the start of the year but in a matter of weeks were knocked out of the inter-club continental competition by Pyramids FC and lost the Ke Yona trophy to bitter rivals Kaizer Chiefs this past weekend in Durban.
Riveiro, who will take charge of his last game at Pirates on Tuesday, also saw his side’s chances to win the league title slim to a mathematical shot when they lost to Sekhukhune United last week.
He says all of these results hurt the same because he is competitive and now people can see how difficult it is to do what he and his charges have done in the last two seasons.
“Both [hurt] and against Sekhukhune you know each and every game that we lose,” said Riveiro.
“You asking me, you can ask the players the way they feel for me is the same for me. For me, every game is an opportunity to beat somebody and when you don’t do it and you are competitive, you don’t sleep. And I understand that today is a big game, it’s a cup final lost, and tomorrow we go again, because Tuesday we’re going to be tested one more time in the league.
“And this is football, this is sport, this is competition and losing one final like today is an opportunity for everyone to understand how difficult is to win the finals, and what this group did in the past five finals in a row, it’s something exceptional. It’s something that we have to give value.
“But going back to your question, I cannot tell you which one is more painful. The pain is the same because we lost. The motivation, your respect, that if the way you visualize your day today is different than the way that is going to end.”
