Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi relishing 'one of the biggest derbies in Africa'

The Tunisian mentor, who joined Chiefs at the start of the season, will experience his first Soweto rivalry when they come up against Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

Reflecting on the occasion, Nabi has been soaking in the hype surrounding the Betway Premiership fixture in the build-up, and is eagerly anticipating the spectacle in person.

"Honestly, I'm very honoured to be part of this big day – if you know about the history of the two clubs, the history of the Soweto Derby, which has a big history in Africa, it's an honour as an African coach to be part of one of the biggest derbies on the continent," Nabi told the media.

"We can feel the atmosphere around this big day, and everyone – myself and the whole technical team – is very excited to be part of this occasion.

"I remember seeing Mr Infantino watching the Derby in the stands, and he was very surprised and happy about the occasion, and I can tell you as well that, personally, I am very happy and looking forward to it."

While the gap between the two sides – Chiefs in fifth position and Pirates in second – remains quite sizeable, the former Young Africans mentor is under no illusion of the expectations from this significant encounter.

"It's true that it's a very important game for everyone – the technical staff, players, management and the fans, and that's why we are doing everything in our power to make sure that we are in a very good condition to go into the game," he added.

"It's as we said, the atmosphere around the Derby is different, but we'll tell you that we prepare for every game with seriousness, including the game against Free Agents, we do analysis and everything.

"And on the field, we want the players to try to do everything we can to get a good result."

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