As Orlando Pirates will be looking at giving it another attempt at winning the league under coach Jose Riveiro, the club now knows how their opening fixtures of the season look like following the release of the proposed fixtures.
Like the rest of the Betway Premiership clubs, Pirates will look at possibly toppling champions Mamelodi Sundowns to win the championship this season under the new sponsors.
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Under DStv, who have been the League's sponsors until the end of the 2023/24 season, no team won the championship except for Sundowns with their seven consecutive titles.
Since his appointment as the Pirates coach in 2022, Riveiro has been clear about the importance of winning the League, though the Spanish tactician has so far managed to lead the Buccaneers to second place on two consecutive seasons.
Pirates last won the League in the 2011/12 season and there have been calls from some sections of the supporters for the team to do it again, with the club having shown their pedigree in cup competitions after winning the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup double in two consecutive seasons.
"The fact is that we haven't won the League for a long period. The League is the most important competition; it goes without saying. It's 30 games, home and away against everybody in every type of circumstances. So, the League is the most important competition, and we really want to find our rhythm also in that competition," said Riveiro in October, speaking to the media.
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With the fixtures for the new season out, here are the opening five matches for the Soweto giants:
Pirates v Chippa United, 14 September, Orlando Stadium, 17:30
Cape Town City v Pirates, 21 September, Cape Town Stadium, 15:00
Pirates v Polokwane City, 24 September, Orlando Stadium, 15:00
Richards Bay v Pirates, 29 September, King Zwelithini Stadium, 15:00
Pirates v AmaZulu, 25 October, Orlando Stadium, 19:30
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