Orlando Pirates target record fifth straight MTN8 title as Ouaddou demands hard work

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says the celebrations and formalities of the off-season are over as his side turn their attention to defending the MTN8 and pursuing a record-extending fifth consecutive title.

Pirates begin their semi-final against Sekhukhune United on Saturday, with the first leg taking place at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium. Victory over the two legs would move the Buccaneers closer to another final and continue their remarkable run in the competition.

The tie represents Ouaddou’s first opportunity to win a title as a head coach in South Africa. His debut campaign with Orlando Pirates was already a memorable one, as the club went on to win the league and the Carling Knockout Cup.

Eight Orlando Pirates players were included in the Bafana Bafana squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the team also completed a pre-season camp in Spain. Ouaddou said those achievements had provided plenty of satisfaction, but insisted the focus had now shifted firmly back to domestic football.

“Last season is the past, we did well, I’m not living in the past, I’m living in the present, it’s another season to prove, we had rewards, our families are happy, we are happy,” he said.

The Moroccan coach acknowledged the expectations surrounding the club after their success last season, but said the squad could not afford to rely on what it had already achieved.

“It’s a season with a lot of expectation, we had the time of the suit and tie to be beautiful [in the off-season], now it’s back to the overall, back to work, we have many targets this season.

“There’s a lot of talk around this competition, everyone wants to do well, it won’t be easy as everyone is chasing us now.”

Pirates’ pursuit of a fifth consecutive MTN8 crown begins against Sekhukhune United, who stand between them and another appearance in the final. The first-leg meeting in Polokwane will therefore provide the opening chapter of a semi-final in which the defending champions will start under pressure from both their opponents and the weight of their own recent record.

Ouaddou’s message is that the transition from the recognition earned last season to the demands of the new campaign is complete. The suits and ties have been put away, and the Pirates squad must now prepare for the work required to meet its ambitions in 2026/27.

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