Orlando Pirates head coach Milutin Sredojevic has highlighted the importance of Thembinkosi Lorch as the Soweto giants begin their Caf Champions League campaign.

Pirates face Zambian side Green Eagles in the 2019-20 Caf Champions League preliminary round first-leg match on Saturday afternoon, and after Lorch’s exploits at the Africa Cup of Nations and last season’s Absa Premiership Sredojevic is hoping he can replicate those performances.

‘He has grown a lot and you can see that he always fights for the team,’ Sredojevic told Caf’s official website.

‘He is a player with a lot of creativity and as a team, we are proud to have him.’

‘As a team, we are looking forward to competing in the league and the Champions League and Lorch is one of our key players,’ he added.

The 25-year-old, who has been linked with a move to Europe, started the season by scoring a stunner in the 2-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs in the Carling Black label Cup before Augustine Mulenga, Innocent Maela and Frank Mhango fired Pirates to a 3-1 opening-day win against Bloemfontein Celtic while Lorch was rested.

Lorch is expected to start against the 2019 Zambian Super League runners-up Eagles at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka on Saturday.