Spanish coach José Riveiro will guide Orlando Pirates for the last time on Tuesday, 13 May.

Riveiro, who won five trophies with the Buccaneers, has been granted an early release from the club.

The initial agreement was for the two parties to go their separate ways at the end of the season, but a new arrangement has been reached.

“Orlando Pirates Football Club can confirm that Head Coach Jose Riveiro will be on the bench for the final time when the team hosts Golden Arrows on Tuesday evening,” Pirates confirmed in a statement on Monday morning.

“The club has granted Coach Riveiro an early release from his contract, which was originally set to run until the end of June 2025.”

Chairman Dr Irvin Khoza said: “Jose approached us a few weeks ago with a request to be released from his contract ahead of schedule, having signed with a new club.

“Given the timing – amidst a series of crucial fixtures – we believed it was best to delay this announcement until after the Nedbank Cup Final. His contribution since joining the club has been immense. We learned a lot from him, and he learned a lot from us.

“While we would have preferred to formally honour him with a proper send-off, we fully respect his decision to depart before the end of his tenure.”

Riveiro expressed his gratitude to the club:

“I want to express my sincere appreciation to Orlando Pirates for allowing me the opportunity to leave before the end of my contract. As someone who has never found goodbyes easy, this moment is particularly emotional for me.

“I am deeply grateful to everyone at the club – from management and technical staff to the players and the many individuals behind the scenes who work tirelessly to support the team.”

Assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi will take charge until the end of the season.