Chaotic Royal AM are ‘well-rested’, Orlando Pirates warn

Royal AM might have had their share of upheaval in the ranks, but Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has cautioned his side to be wary of a team that, due to a combination of factors, is “well-rested” and potentially dangerous.

The Buccaneers will have to acclimatise in their next fixture. Pirates will have to come down from the high of a 2-1 victory against Al Ahly at the 80,000-seat Cairo International Stadium on Saturday that saw the Buccaneers end top of group B in the Champions League, to meeting the Premier Soccer League's (PSL) second-last side at the 12,000-capacity Harry Gwala Stadium on Thursday (7.30pm).

Coach John Maduka’s Royal plunged in form amid the club’s assets being put under curatorship by the SA Revenue Service (Sars) in November for alleged unpaid taxes amounting to R40m by owner Shauwn Mkhize. The KwaZulu-Natal side has lost four and drawn one in its past five games.

They have also not yet played in 2025, a fixture against Chippa United in Gqeberha set for January 11 was postponed by the PSL after Royal disclosed it could not field a team amid a player strike over unpaid wages due to the club’s assets being controlled by Sars.

The club indicated this week — despite reports of coaching staff also not being paid and the squad being locked out of the training facility by security staff who also had not received wages — they will honour the match against Pirates.

Such a situation, considering Bucs’ form and continental heroics, might seem ripe for Royal’s Harry Gwala slaughterhouse to be turned against them. Ncikazi, though, cautioned AM’s players are fresh and might be raring to prove themselves on their return to the playing field.

“It’s a territory of uncertainty. We are playing a team that is well-rested, a team that has had enough time to prepare versus [a team facing up] against all the odds one might have [in scheduling and travel],” Ncikazi said.

“Hence it becomes important to analyse our own performance, try to improve from the previous match while you are aware of the opponents.

“They are a difficult team to play in Pietermaritzburg [where they] hardly concede and a team with the capacity and mental strength to come back even if they are a goal down.

“So it’s important we focus on our game and be aware of their weaknesses while we are cautious of the strengths of the opponents.”

Pirates have carried their excellent form from 2024 into the new year. They clinched a Champions League quarterfinal place with a home win against CR Belouizdad two weekends ago and the Ahly win made it three victories and a defeat, 1-0 in the league away to Cape Town City, from four matches in 2025.

Bucs (27 points) are breathing down seven-time successive Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns’ (30 points from 11) necks.