Orlando Pirates head coach Josef Zinnbauer has revealed his key players Richard Ofori and Thembinkosi Lorch have picked up injuries ahead of the Soweto Derby clash.
The Buccaneers are scheduled to meet their Soweto rivals, Swallows FC in the MTN8 quarter-finals at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday.
Ghana's finest goalkeeper Ofori, influential attacker Lorch, and experienced defender Innocent Maela featured in Pirates' defeat to their archrivals, Kaizer Chiefs in the Carling Black Label Cup earlier this month.
However, the trio has since picked up injuries according to Zinnbauer with the Buccaneers set to start their defence of the MTN8 title which they won last year after defeating Bloemfontein Celtic in the final.
“We have a little bit of problems with the players, it's normal in a pre-season. Maela is not in training at the moment,” Zinnbauer told the media.
"He’s with the surgeon and we’ll get the information in the afternoon. We have to see what is happening with him, he has a bone problem, maybe it is an old injury, but we’ll check today.
“Lorch has a problem with the shoulder, he was out yesterday but we tried it today. I think he’s fine for the weekend."
Zinnbauer went on to indicate that injury-prone strikers Tshegofatso Mabasa and Zakhele Lepasa will be unavailable this weekend.
However, the German tactician did indicate that Mabasa has resumed training with his teammates, while Ofori, Maela, and left-sided player Paseko Mako could all play this weekend.
"The old injured players, we know them, Mabasa and Lepasa, they aren’t available for the weekend but Mabasa [is] close, he started training with the team, Lepasa needs more time," he added.
“I think Ofori also came back. Yesterday he had a problem with his eye, he got hit with a ball in his face. We have to check this, but I think he is fine for the weekend, I hope Maela is well.
"Mako has some swelling on the calf, but I think it’s also possible he could play on the weekend, but we are ready for the game."
