Maseko quashes ‘overrated’ claim, fires back at Pirates’ Ouaddou

Lioli FC head coach Bongani Maseko has moved to quash claims that he labelled Orlando Pirates “overrated” ahead of their CAF Champions League clash, clarifying his comments and addressing the tense touchline showdown with Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.

The controversy erupted just before the second leg of the Champions League First Preliminary Round tie when statements from Maseko’s pre-match media session surfaced, suggesting he had undervalued the Soweto giants.

This perceived slight drew a furious response from former Marumo Gallants coach Abdeslam Ouaddou. Speaking to the press, the Moroccan tactician challenged his players to deliver a performance that would silence the opposition coach. Pirates certainly delivered: they hammered Maseko’s side 4-0 on the day for a crushing 7-0 aggregate victory. Ouaddou’s reaction was highly visible, celebrating each goal by purposefully marching toward Maseko’s dugout in a clear gesture of defiance.

Maseko Clarifying the Orlando Pirates Misinterpretation

Maseko, however, insists his words were twisted, explaining that his criticism was not about Pirates being overrated, but about their overall form.

“I don’t know because the last time I checked, all my interviews, even that one [before the second leg], I said Pirates were not good enough. I did not say they were overrated. There is a difference,” Maseko explained.

The Lioli coach maintained that he has always respected the Buccaneers’ technical and player personnel. “I keep on saying, even before the game, I said Pirates have a good coach and they have good players. Even now, I’m still saying that; it is a fact.”

While expressing his confusion over Ouaddou’s animated celebrations—”So I don’t know why he did that [celebrate towards the dugout]”—Maseko ended his statement with a challenge to his counterpart, promising a stronger return in the future.

“I’m a young coach and I wanted to say this, ‘I will come back, we’ll meet with a better team one day’,” Maseko promised. “I have that confidence that one day something will happen and we will meet [Pirates in future] with the better team, and then we see that… but I still maintain he [Ouaddou] is a good coach, he has good players and a good team, hence the scoreline.”