Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Orlando Pirates head coach Milutin Sredojevic says he is extremely shocked and disappointed by the hostile reception received from Mamelodi Sundowns, at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday.
As it happened: Mamelodi Sundowns 0-0 Orlando Pirates
There were numerous scuffles between the two sides and their staff prior to kick-off and during a feisty 0-0 draw in an Absa Premiership clash.
Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane accused the Buccaneers of parking their bus in the home side's spot, leading to the altercations that eventually spilled over onto the pitch.
Sredojevic though, laid the blame firmly at the foot of the Masandawana camp by claiming they were out to disrupt his side's preparations.
"This great institution that has been behind us - Mamelodi Sundowns, we have been extremely shocked and disappointed because this is not a gesture of a big club," Sredojevic said in a post-match interview.
"When supporters do something and fire shots in this and that way, and create their own way, then you can understand because every supporter has a right to his opinion.
"But, when an official [running Sundowns' Twitter account] … I believe Mr Motsepe is not proud of the way [things were handled] because it is abuse of the institution when you are [showing] who is boss, and who is this and that.
"It is very, very, very unfortunate. This is not the way to communicate. I want to tell you openly, in my life I have passed and been involved in many things, and I’ve learnt one very important lesson - it is not important what is being said, but who is saying it.
"It is important that before the match Mr Motsepe escorted us to the field as a gentleman, and before and after the match we had saluted Pitso [Mosimane] and the rest of the players. This is where we are happy with.
"But on the other side, it was very unfortunate that all these things happened before when we were supposed to be focusing on the football."
