Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has downplayed his side’s chances of catching Mamelodi Sundowns, labeling them the team to beat and distancing his own team from that title.

Sundowns have dominated the local scene with seven consecutive league titles, but significant changes within their technical team contrast with Pirates’ stability. Coach Rulani Mokwena, who Riveiro described as a formidable opponent last season, has departed despite a canter to the league title, leaving Pirates trailing in points.

Sundowns made history by securing the league with a record-breaking 72 points in the 16-team format. In contrast, Pirates have clinched four domestic trophies in two seasons under the Spaniard, who joined the club in June 2022.

When asked if Pirates would be the team to beat this season, Riveiro maintained that Sundowns remain the front-runner due to their consistent dominance.

“Sundowns are the team to beat; they are the current champions. We aspire to be in that position one day, to be the team everyone wants to beat,” said Riveiro. “We have to be humbled and understand that the level of the task is not going to be easy. We are stable like you said in terms of the squad, technical staff. 

“But we are starting ourselves from zero, all of us. Everybody has zero points, the (teams that finished in the top eight) are in the quarter finals of the MTN8.

“So, there is still a lot of things to do to start talking about winning or not winning.”   

Pirates will kick off the new season with a defense of their MTN8 trophy against their nemesis, SuperSport United, at Orlando Stadium on Saturday (18:00).