Ouaddou sets Orlando Pirates target of CAF Champions League group-stage return

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says qualifying for the CAF Champions League group stage is a priority this season after the club missed out on Africa’s leading club competition last term.

Pirates begin the decisive stage of their campaign against Namibian side African Stars at a neutral venue in Botswana on Saturday, before welcoming them to Orlando Stadium for the second leg a week later.

The Buccaneers advanced beyond the opening qualifying round by beating La Cure Waves, leaving them two matches away from reaching the group stage.

Their failure to qualify last season led to strong criticism from supporters, with some calling for Ouaddou to be dismissed. The reaction was particularly severe after Pirates had reached the semi-finals of the competition the previous year.

Club officials, however, continued to back the coach. Ouaddou subsequently justified that decision on the domestic stage by guiding Pirates to the Betway Premiership, MTN8 and Carling Knockout titles.

Although Pirates have been unable to retain their MTN8 crown this season, Ouaddou is now focused on securing progress in Africa while keeping the side competitive at home.

“It will be important to come back with a positive result,” Ouaddou said. “It’s a big year, so we need to get back into the group stage. Last season, we were knocked out by St. Eloi Lupopo, so this is a major target.

“We learned our lesson from last season. It’s crucial to return home with a solid result to position ourselves well for the next round.”

African Stars have yet to begin their domestic league season in Namibia, creating an additional challenge for Pirates’ preparations. Ouaddou said his technical staff had nevertheless obtained footage of the opponents and started assessing their approach.

“It’s challenging because their league hasn’t started, but we’ve managed to obtain video footage,” he explained. “We’ve begun analysing them and have good information, which we’ll study further on Thursday and Friday.”

After the two-legged tie, Pirates will turn their attention to the opening of their Carling Knockout defence. They are due to host Milford FC, although the Premier Soccer League has not yet confirmed the date.

Ouaddou expects Milford to provide a difficult test, despite Pirates having home advantage.

“Playing at home in front of our supporters gives us a good advantage,” he said. “However, it will still be a demanding game. When we played Milford earlier in the season, I said few teams would beat them, and they’ve proven that. They are well-coached, disciplined, highly organised, and playing with great confidence.”