Jose Riveiro promising a better showing in the CAF Champions League next season

Riveiro was speaking after Pirates clinched the second spot in the DStv Premiership finale following a one-all draw against SuperSport United at Orlando Stadium yesterday.

Pirates finished ahead of Stellenbosch FC on goal difference after they lost 2-1 to Richards Bay FC.

Riveiro will return to the CAFCL for the second time next season after they dropped out in the preliminary rounds this season.

The Spanish-born coach says the most important thing was to qualify for the CAFCL.

"Anyway, the result is good enough today to achieve the objective that we were looking for. Congratulations one more time to everyone involved in this achievement and also I don't say congratulations but very well done to Stellenbosch because I think they had a remarkable season,” Riveiro said.

“Today, it's us who are in that spot but obviously everybody can see the margins were very, very small. It's fantastic that Pirates is gonna be in the Champions League again next season and we'll make sure that Pirates will represent South Africa in the continent and hopefully better than the last time."

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In the last few weeks, the CAFCL spot looked like it was slipping away from Pirates after they dropped points, losing to Richards Bay FC and TS Galaxy, respectively.

Despite being happy to have managed to get a place in the CAFCL, Riveiro has made it known that being 23 points behind the league champions Mamelodi Sundowns is a serious concern, and the objective going forward is to close this gap.

"I think that we shouldn't undermine what it means to be in the Champions League but not celebrating to be second, we are celebrating to be in the Champions League. We've got a right to be there and it's something very important for the club but being second, 23 points behind the first one is not a huge achievement,” the coach explained.

“So, that's our objective from now how we can reduce that gap with whoever is there leading the log. It's too much distance between the first and second position and even though I said many times we are fighting with a team that is not famous for dropping points frequently."

Bucs striker Tshegofatso Mabasa finished the season as the top goal scorer with 16 goals, after scoring in the first half before Gape Moralo equalized in the second half.