Orlando Pirates land in Spain to begin pre-season

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The Buccaneers have three top matches lined up during their stay in Europe  

Orlando Pirates have arrived in Spain to begin their pre-season which will see them take on top opposition this month.

Pirates landed in Malaga on Wednesday morning with the players in high spirits ahead of their first match scheduled for July 12 against Wayne Rooney’s English club Plymouth Argyle.

The Buccaneers return to Spain for a second successive year in the off-season with matches lined up against Plymouth, La Liga side Sevilla and Qatari giants Al Sadd. 

Pirates will face European and Asian giants

Pirates will face off with English Championship side Plymouth as the Pilgrims look for a change in fortunes under the Manchester United legend.

The Soweto giants will then take on seven-time Europa League champions Sevilla on July 15 at the Jesus Navas Stadium as Quique Sanchez Flores’ team looks for a fruitful 2024-25 campaign after a less than impressive 14th place on the table last season.

Jose Riveiro’s men will complete their fixtures with a clash against Qatar Stars League champions Al Sadd on July 19.

The Bucs had a fruitful tour of Spain in 2023

The Asian giants, who reclaimed the league title from rivals Al Duhail, also arrived in Spain on Wednesday ahead of the match.

Pirates were in Spain last year when they played against Maccabi, beating them 1-0, before overcoming Independiente 3-1, and completed with a goalless draw against Las Palmas.

The Bucs managed a second-place finish in the PSL and also retained their MTN8 and Nedbank Cup crowns but fans are hoping for a PSL title challenge in 2024-25.

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Joel Oliver

Joel Oliver is a seasoned multimedia sports journalist with a rich background in covering diverse football stories and events in South Africa and beyond.

His extensive coverage spans subjects touching on the PSL, with a focus on the Big Three (Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs & Mamelodi Sundowns), Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana.