Pirates set sail to conquer Champions League

Orlando Pirates coach Julio Leal is doing his homework as he plots his strategy ahead of the 2012 CAF Champions League.

The reigning South African Premier Soccer League champions are hoping to put an end to the domination of north African clubs, which resumed in earnest after Tunisian outfit Esperance and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco reached the 2011 tournament’s two-legged final in November.

Orlando spokesperson Mickey Modisane revealed Brazilian coach Leal and his technical department will start finalising their plans after the Champions League draw – the date of which is still to be announced.

“We have been following this year’s Champions League so that we get an idea of what kind of opposition we will be up against next year,” Modisane told Kickoff.com.

“But the plans of the coach will only become more concrete after the draw, as he will know the teams we will be playing with.”

Club captain Lucky Lekgwathi said the Pirates’ CAF Champions League win in 1995 continued to put the weight of expectation on today’s current crop of players.

“In South African football, you cannot talk about Champions League football without talking about the Bucs team of 1995,” Lekgwathi said.

“It is every Orlando Pirates player’s dream to win the Champions League and this is why we are determined to go all the way this time.”