Former Orlando Pirates winger Tlou Segolela believes the Buccaneers must make winning the CAF Champions League their biggest priority as they look to add a second star to their badge.

Pirates have already secured their place in the group stages of this season’s CAF Champions League after comfortably beating African Stars in the second round of qualifying. They will now face Colombe Sportive of Cameroon, RS Berkane of Morocco and Simba SC of Tanzania in Group C.

Segolela believes the Soweto giants have the quality and history to compete with the best clubs on the continent. He feels the time has come for Pirates to return to the top of African football by winning the competition for a second time.

The former winger told KickOff that Pirates have achieved almost everything domestically, making continental success the next important step for the club.

“Look, they’ve (Pirates) won everything domestically. So adding CAF is out there, it’s a known fact, I don’t think they have to tell anyone, even the players are aware of that, I’m 100 percent sure of that,” Segolela said.

He added that Pirates have created an opportunity to make history and should not be afraid of the teams they will face in the competition.

According to Segolela, the Buccaneers are also one of Africa’s biggest football institutions and have the ability to compete against any opponent. He believes the players understand what is expected of them and should approach the challenge with confidence.

Segolela also made it clear that head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou will be under pressure to deliver the continental trophy. He believes winning the Champions League would be a major achievement, while failing to do so would be a disappointment considering the club's ambitions.

Pirates last lifted the CAF Champions League trophy in 1995. They came close to winning it for a second time in 2013 but lost in the final to Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

The club has also reached the CAF Confederation Cup final twice, finishing as runners-up in 2015 and 2022.

With another opportunity now in front of them, Segolela believes Pirates must take their place among Africa's leading clubs and show their quality on the continental stage.

Source: kick-off