Orlando Pirates have settled into Marbella, and get their first on-field test in the form of English League One outfit Bolton Wanderers in a Friendly match on Friday morning.
The two sides are just some of several teams from different corners of the globe who have made the Marbella Football Center their home for the next couple of weeks, with the Buccaneers returning to familiar territory after setting up base at the coast of Spain for the past two seasons.
They face off against The Whites, who are among over a dozen teams that will be on show in Malaga during the European summer.
Match Overview
Pirates are back in Spain following a gruelling season where they finished second in the league while claiming a third consecutive MTN8 title. Bucs fans also witnessed their team reach the last four of the prestigious CAF Champions League before falling just short of a hat-trick of wins in the Nedbank Cup.
Another equally demanding campaign awaits the Buccaneers, who have undergone a few significant changes since closing the curtain on the previous season. Spanish mentor Jose Riveiro has since departed the club, replaced by former Fulham and Morocco defender Abdeslam Ouaddou at the helm. Changes have not only been limited to the technical side, with the team bringing a few new faces during the off-season.
A significant step in ensuring readiness for the new season – where the league plus contention in three domestic cup competitions as well as continental action await – will be taken in the form of the training match against the men from the Greater Manchester, determined to give promotion back to the Championship another shot after falling well short of achieving the feat in their last attempt.
One of the English Football League’s founding members and a near-permanent fixture in the top flight throughout the early part of the 20th century, Bolton also enjoyed regular stints in the Premier League in the decade kicking off in the mid-1990s – a period where the club enjoyed the services of legendary ex-Pirates defender Mark Fish.
For the best part of the past decade and a half, they have found themselves slugging it out in the lower leagues, dropping as low as the third tier. They finished eighth in League One last season after roping in former Everton midfielder Steven Schumacher as manager midway through the season.
Like their pre-season opponents, Bolton have been busy in the transfer market and many of
their new acquisitions could be in line for a different test in the Mediterranean sun on Friday
morning.
Team News
Bolton’s squad has been bolstered with nine new arrivals in the ongoing transfer window. Among them is goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe, who arrived on loan from Premier League outfit Chelsea, along with the likes of winger Amario Cozier-Durberry – a loan transfer from Brighton and Hove Albion.
At least one of the new recruits will not feature in the form of ex-Wrexham striker Sam Dalby, who has been ruled out of the training match. According to Schumacher, the 25-year-old picked up a hamstring strain prior to the squad’s departure to Spain and did not make the trip.
For the Buccaneers, Ouaddou finds himself with plenty of options to choose from in the 32-man squad, which landed on the Spanish coast earlier in the week. The travelling party has a fresh look, with the club’s recent signings getting a first taste of the Bucs pre-season.
Some departures were announced over the past few weeks, with midfielder Phillip Ndlondlo
among those to leave the club permanently, while winger Monnapule Saleng has joined newly-promoted Orbit College on loan for the season.
Latest Results
Pirates’ 2024/25 campaign finished with back-to-back league draws, with their most recent win coming via a 1-0 victory away to SuperSport United. They won twice in their last five fixtures, where they stayed unbeaten while claiming three league points through 1-1 stalemates against each of TS Galaxy, AmaZulu, and Magesi.
Bolton, meanwhile, finished similarly, claiming a single point against each of Peterborough and Stevenage. This was an uptick in results, following defeats in each of their three previous fixtures—a run of results that had pushed them outside the playoff spots.
How to Watch Orlando Pirates vs Bolton Wanderers
The Friendly match between Orlando Pirates and Bolton Wanderers kicks off at 11:00 (SAST). It will be broadcast on SuperSport PSL channel (202) and can be streamed live on Orlando Pirates YouTube channel, Pirates TV.
Regular updates will be provided across the Pirates’ social media channels throughout the
duration of the match.
