Abdeslam Ouaddou admits to feeling pressure in Orlando Pirates hot seat as he reveals ‘we don’t have time to chill when you are at Bucs’

Orlando Pirates have been trying to navigate through a relentless fixture schedule, playing matches almost every three days as the 2025/26 season intensifies. 

Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou admits feeling the pressure of the demanding run, which is taking its toll on his players, and that saw him benching defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi for last Wednesday's Premier Soccer League clash with Golden Arrows.

However, Ouaddou insists he welcomes this kind of pressure, viewing it as what a club like the Soweto giants needs. 

Having been booted out of the CAF Champions League, Pirates could, however, finally find some breathing room to fully focus on domestic ambitions.

“It’s not easy to play every three days, but it’s a very important moment for us," said Ouaddou as per Sowetan Live.

"We take this competition very seriously, so we are prepared. The moment that you don’t feel this kind of pressure, for me, it’ll be difficult to deliver something. 

"You need to have this kind of positive pressure every day because this positive pressure pushes you to [be] the best and to deliver.  

“In this kind of job, if you are too relaxed, you won’t deliver, and you won’t reach your full potential," added the former Fulham defender. 

"You need this pressure. At our club, we feel it... The fans make us feel it; they push to be the best, so we don’t have time to chill when you are at Pirates.”

Apart from early Champions League elimination, Pirates have been trying not to let the pressure show in their performances.

They are breathing down the neck of PSL log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns as they have a good chance of toppling Masandawana off the summit.

They are also in the semi-finals of the Carling Knockout, an opportunity for another piece of silverware before the end of 2025.

With a packed schedule across multiple competitions and the season still a long way to go, the Buccaneers coach knows the importance of keeping his squad fresh.

In recent matches, Ouaddou has been rotating his players to share the workload, giving more game minutes to the likes of Masindi Nemtajela, Nkosikhona Ndaba, Yanela Mbuthuma and Tshepang Moremi, who were not regulars at the start of the campaign. 

This, plus having a big squad, could be the key to maintaining intensity and avoiding fatigue as the season progresses.

Pirates are currently preparing to face Richards Bay in a Carling Knockout semi-final match at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

Ouaddou and his men are the only traditional giants left in this competition after Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns were eliminated, adding extra pressure to live up to their heavyweight status.

On the other hand, the Natal Rich Boyz see this as a historic opportunity to reach their first-ever major final and possibly claim their maiden top-flight trophy. 

That ups the stakes ahead of Saturday's confrontation. 

Elimination for the Buccaneers would be a huge upset which would come as they are still trying to atone for bowing out of the Champions League.