Orlando Pirates head coach Milutin Sredojevic has explained his decision to make wholesale changes for their CAF Champions League on Wednesday.
Read: Ruthless Bucs Take Commanding Lead In CCL
The Buccaneers marked their return to CAF football with a 5-1 thumping of Light Stars of Seychelles at Orlando Stadium.
A number of fringe players were given a run-out and the Serbian believes it will help with competitiveness in the squad.
"Except for [Marshall] Munetsi we changed the whole squad. Players that were emotionally empty after playing against Kaizer Chiefs in the semi-final of the Telkom Knockout.
"This was an opportunity for them to get match fitness. They got mileage in the legs that will help the competitiveness of places in the team.
"So that later on, possibly in the group stages, when we need to play in two or three days we have players that at any given time, our performance outside and in, is on the same level.
"Whatever that was wrong today is that the players had no match fitness and whatever that was right is good that they have benefited in game-time. We are looking forward to the Saturday game against Maritzburg United," he concluded.
The Pirates technical team will prioritise squad rotation ahead of jam-packed schedule, as the club prepares to take on Maritzburg United in an Absa Premiership clash on Saturday, and the return leg of the CAF Champions league fixture.
