Soweto Derby: Orlando Pirates coach Riveiro guarding Saleng against getting 'confused' for Kaizer Chiefs

• Saleng has become a star player at Pirates
• Riveiro feels the player should be protected
• The winger now faces another big match to test him

WHAT HAPPENED? After struggling for game time earlier in the season, Saleng has in recent games established himself as one of the star players at Pirates with impressive performances. The 24-year-old is likely to start when the Buccaneers collide with Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday. Riveiro says they are keeping an eye on players lacking game time but they are also protecting Saleng from getting consumed by the limelight.

WHAT THEY SAID: “I don’t think it’s the case [that he will get carried away],” said Riveiro as per iDiski Times. “It’s just a boy who wants to play football, who is having really fun every morning in the training and who is having fun still in the games. That’s why he is doing the way he is doing because he just wants to play football. Sometimes we need to protect the player in a way that they don’t get confused, they don’t get relaxed but I don’t think it’s the case. We try to keep an eye on all our players.

“Usually it’s more important to keep an eye on the players who are not playing, who are not shining or not getting the good feedback from the media or from the fans, but so far we try to keep an eye on all of them because we need all of them sooner or later.

“You talk about one boy who didn’t participate in the first games and now everybody is talking about him, there is a process behind. We need to pay now more attention on the players who are not in the spotlight right now but will be in one week or in two months.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Against Chiefs, there will be attention on Saleng to see if he will replicate the solid displays he delivered in the past two games. His combination with Erasmus is slowly growing to become a feared partnership in the league.

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WHAT NEXT FOR PIRATES STAR? Saleng now prepares to face Amakhosi on Saturday and he goes into this match high in confidence after enjoying some good form recently.