Benni gunning to defeat former side Pirates: 'Myself and my team are born competitors'

AmaZulu FC coach Benni McCarthy says that any friendship with his former side Orlando Pirates will be put aside when he returns to Orlando Stadium on Sunday for their Nedbank Cup Round of 32 encounter.

McCarthy spent two years at the Buccaneers during his playing career, helping them win the MTN8, Telkom Knockout and the Premiership title in the 2011/12 season.

McCarthy is now in his second year as coach of AmaZulu and will be up against his former club this weekend.

In an interview ahead of Sunday's match, McCarthy told the media that all friendships would be put aside when AmaZulu faced off with Pirates.

"Myself and my team are born competitors. Whatever game we play, we want to win. We take nothing for granted," McCarthy told the media.

"...When I played for them, I played with everything. My heart, my soul, everything. Now, I am at AmaZulu, and this goes for whatever club I coach, I give the same commitment to that club.

"Unfortunately for the teams that I played for, if I come up against them I want to do it even more so. When it's Orlando Pirates, I want to win wholeheartedly and that's why there's so much passion.

"Sometimes, when you're winning, that's when they want to fight and we don't sit back when there is fighting. We accept the invitation even more so, but it's all sporting and after the games and we have a lot of respect for each other, for the coach and for the club.

"I once was there but during that 90 minute period, we're not friends because we're both trying to achieve the same goal," he added.

Kick-off is at 15:00.