Klate backs Pirates in Saturday’s MTN8 final

Daine Klate

Thursday Dec 10, 2020. 14:00

Serial trophy winner Daine Klate backed his former club Orlando Pirates to win the MTN8 final over Bloemfontein Celtic this coming weekend.

Pirates and Celtic will meet in Durban on Saturday evening to scrap for the 2020-21 season’s first piece of silverware.

Klate, who won the Top Eight Cup with SuperSport United (2004), Pirates (2010, 2011) and Bidvest Wits (2016), is backing the Buccaneers to end a trophy drought which stretches back to the 2014 Nedbank Cup.

“I would probably go for Pirates but I think Bloem Celtic have done really well,” Klate told Sowetan Live.

“In fact, both teams have done well to get to the final. Celtic got through Mamelodi Sundowns in the quarterfinals to get to the semifinals where they beat SuperSport United, the reigning champions.

“Pirates beat Kaizer Chiefs to get to the final so I think both are deservedly in the final.”

He added, “It’s a difficult one to call but I would like for Pirates to win it. I don’t think Pirates have won a trophy since I left the team.

“I think they have got the capabilities and the players to deal with the pressures of a cup final.

“They have a lot of experience in the team again. The same with Celtic; they just came from the Nedbank Cup final which they narrowly lost against Sundowns.

“So I think it’s a very even final and both teams can win. But I would like for Pirates to triumph.”