Pirates face a stern test in their opening round Nedbank Cup clash away to Leopards at the Thohoyandou Stadium this evening (18h00 kick-off).
This will be The Buccaneers’ first visit to what has been dubbed Lidoda Duvha’s ‘slaughter house’ in nearly 12 years.
With the PSL having on Friday confirmed a sold-out affair, conditions are sure to be stacked against the Soweto giants. Although Sredojevic has welcomed this as a warm-up for their gruelling CAF Champions League trip to Conakry, Guinea in March.
“We believe that everything will be in tact so that players are ready to answer to any outside factors of the game, which is hot weather, different playing ground and presence of opponents’ supporters,” said ‘Micho’.
“This is something that I would like to say is perfect preparation for us going into the conditions of West Africa to play against Horoya [in the Champions League in March].
“It will be a total resemblance of the recent hot conditions in Bulawayo, where out of 23 000 supporters we had at least 20 000, but now it will be vice-versa.
“There will be more of their supporters, but I know that in that part of South Africa we also have many of our supporters, who we will be awaiting to come and give us support so that whatever we face, we’ll be at an equal level because motivation is at the highest-level present.
“We want to do our best, we don’t want to look for excuses. We respect the opponents and the conditions of playing away, but we want to give our best.”