Orlando Pirates in Spain for preseason camp
The Buccaneers’ pre-season tour includes clashes against Bolton Wanderers, Pafos FC, LaLiga outfit Las Palmas, and Granada FC.
Orlando Pirates and their newly-appointed head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou are in Spain to begin their preparations for the 2025/26season. Picture: @orlandopirates/X.
JOHANNESBURG – Orlando Pirates and their newly-appointed head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou are in Spain to begin their preparations for the 2025/26season.
The technical team took a 32-man squad to Marbella, with a series of high-intensity friendlies lined up to test the team’s readiness.
The Buccaneers’ pre-season tour includes clashes against Bolton Wanderers, Pafos FC, LaLiga outfit Las Palmas, and Granada FC.
“We’ve just arrived in Spain after a long flight. Today is about recovery, but from tomorrow it’s all systems go. The upcoming season will be tough, so our preparation must cover all possible scenarios,” said assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi.
“Last season’s group played 52 matches—that kind of workload is only manageable with a well-planned preseason. We have a new crop of players that we need to integrate into the group as
quickly as possible.”
First up is a clash against English side Bolton Wanderers on July 11, followed by a game with newly crowned Cypriot champions Pafos FC on July 13.
The tour continues with fixtures against La Liga outfit Las Palmas on July 17, before concluding with a test against Granada on July 19.