Jose Riveiro on the verge of breaking Baxter's derby record

5 Views

Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro could register his sixth Soweto Derby win over Kaizer Chiefs this coming weekend.

The Buccaneers play Amakhosi on Saturday afternoon in the final of the Nedbank Cup. If Pirates win, Riveiro will surpass Stuart Baxter’s overall derby record of five wins. Baxter coached Amakhosi twice, but his successful spell was between 2012 and 2015, helping the club to two doubles.

Jose Riveiro has won five Soweto derbies in a row

Since taking over from Pirates in 2023, the Spaniard has won five trophies with the Buccaneers. He is on the verge of winning his sixth, but it won’t be easy against a desperate Chiefs side looking to win their first silverware in a decade.

Speaking after winning his fifth Soweto Derby on Saturday, Jose Riveiro said it would be nice to end his tenure at the Bucs with six derby wins.

“That’s good [to win five games in a row in the Soweto Derby], definitely,” he said as per FARPost. “But there is still one more to play and hopefully [we win it]. So now the target is not because of my record, obviously, actually I think [it is about the team].

“I think three years ago, after my first derby here [FNB Stadium], the first question coming from my left was something like ‘congratulations, you are the first Spanish coach to lose one game at FNB’ and now we’re sitting here with five victories, so I’m happy with the performance of the players. “

Jose Riveiro revealed in March that he would step down as Orlando Pirates head coach at the end of the season.