Jose Riveiro confident of spectacle against Mamelodi Sundowns

It’s the second time the two sides meet in a cup final this season, but The Buccaneers’ MTN8 triumph in October was, by both coaches’ admission, a scrappy affair.

Riveiro says the showdown in Mbombela will be different, with the fact that Pirates finished runners-up to Sundowns in the DStv Premiership also a contributing factor.

"The [MTN8] final we played at the end of last year was really affected by the weather conditions – the wind that day – for both teams, but anyway I think it was a decent rhythm," said Riveiro.

"The game we played in Pretoria in February, I think that was a proper football match, in terms of pace of both teams – I think it was over the average that games used to be in the league, to be honest.

"So it's two good sides, well prepared, knowing each other with the level of players we're going to see on the field on Saturday."

With well over 30 matches played by both teams ahead of the season finale, the Spaniard argues there should be no fears of fatigue, thanks to their effective use of football periodisation.

"The only thing I can expect, even though it's the last game of the season, I don't think there's going to be fatigue," he added.

"Sundowns is a team really used to playing games in a short space of time and delivering fantastic performances, and after them I think we are the team with [second-most] games in the season as well so we're also used to playing.

"So I think both teams are doing a really good job to keep the players in good form."

READ: Sundowns make most of idle week before Nedbank Cup final