José Rivero speaks for the first time about their exit from the CAF Champions League!

While Orlando Pirates are still reeling from the shock of their CAF Champions League semi-final exit to Egypt's Pyramids FC, everyone was waiting for Spanish coach Jose Rivero's reaction to the loss and exit from the competition.

Rivero spoke to the media about the disappointment after the fans were expecting a final of South African football, but that dream was shattered on Friday evening after their exit and Mamelodi Sundowns' lone qualification against Al Ahly in Cairo.

"First, congratulations to Pyramids for reaching the final. Secondly, immense pride in our players and staff for their extraordinary efforts this season—they’ve given everything to our fans," said Orlando Pirates coach José Riveiro after a heartbreaking semifinal defeat.

“This loss is tough to accept—our first in the entire tournament, and it knocks us out in the cruelest way. We delivered a top-class performance away against a strong side, yet those fleeting moments cost us: twice taking the lead, only for them to equalize instantly. That urgency we needed to sustain pressure? It slipped away.”

Riveiro concluded.