Kaizer Chiefs will be wary of a big factor that could influence their performance when they meet bitter rivals Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby on Saturday.
The first Soweto Derby edition of the 2022/23 season will be the first to be played with a capacity crowd at FNB Stadium in nearly three years.
Read: Four Headaches For Chiefs' Zwane Ahead Of Soweto Derby
The last clash between the sides with a packed stadium was in February 2020, where Lebogang Manyama's solitary goal earned Chiefs victory.
A month later football in the PSL and across the globe was suspended due to Covid-19 pandemic and only returned months later with spectators not allowed in the stadiums.
There were suggestions that Chiefs, who have a number of new players in the side, could not handle the pressure, with supporters now able to attend games after they were knocked out of the MTN8 by AmaZulu.
However, Amakhosi head coach Arthur Zwane has welcomed the pressure his team has to face and says it will only make them better.
"I don't think the pressure of the situation is the reason we didn't make it (against AmaZulu). The boys tried their best. Playing for Kaizer Chiefs always comes with added pressure but we see it as a privilege rather than a burden," Zwane told journalists in a press conference.
"You have to enjoy it. If you don't enjoy it, you're in the wrong place. In this competition there is pressure every round. When we got through the quarterfinals into the semis, that was also pressure.
"But these are times that make us grow and we'll be better coaches and better players, and a better team," he added.
Read: What Chiefs Will Bank On Ahead Of Soweto Derby
Both Pirates and Chiefs have confirmed on their official social media platforms that the match on Saturday is sold out.
The FNB Stadium is known to have a capacity of 93 000 and the character of the Amakhosi players could be the most tested, given also that results have not gone their way in their last three matches.
On the bright side for the Glamour Boys, they have dominated the fixture in the last couple of years, with three straight victories over Pirates in the league and will be looking to win for the fourth time in a row against their rivals for the first time since the 1991/92 season.
Amakhosi have also won five out of the last six league meetings between the two sides.
*Stats via Kaizerchiefs.com
