Thabo Cele Reflects on Kaizer Chiefs’ Pre-Season Loss to Vitesse, Looks Ahead to FC Utrecht Clash

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Thabo Cele has opened up about what went wrong during the club’s opening pre-season match against Dutch side SVB Vitesse, offering a candid assessment of the team’s performance and mindset heading into their next friendly against Eredivisie side FC Utrecht.

The Glamour Boys began their European pre-season tour earlier this week, taking on Vitesse, a team currently competing in the Eerste Divisie (Dutch second tier), on Tuesday. In a game that saw newly-appointed head coach Nasreddine Nabi field two entirely different line-ups across both halves, Chiefs fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat.

Cele, who joined the club during the second half of last season, was one of the standout voices following the loss. Speaking to the club’s official media team, the central midfielder reflected on a game that started promisingly but ultimately slipped away.

“In the first half, we had that patience and we were organised. We could even have added another goal or two,” Cele explained. “The guys who played in the second half haven’t really played together as yet in that formation. But that’s good, that’s how you learn and that’s how you have to see pre-season friendlies as well.”

Nabi’s decision to rotate his squad offered a glimpse into his tactical experimentation as he looks to build chemistry and depth across the group. While the result wasn’t ideal, the experience proved valuable for testing formations and assessing player fitness.

Now, attention quickly shifts to what is expected to be a much tougher challenge when Amakhosi face FC Utrecht on Friday. The Dutch top-flight side, known for its physical style and disciplined structure, will present an entirely different level of intensity—something Cele welcomes as part of the team’s growth.

“That will be a very different test. Those games will show us where we are at present and where we want to go. Needless to say, this pre-season training will take us to the next level,” said Cele.

The clash against Utrecht is scheduled to kick off at 16:00 (SA time) and will be followed by another friendly just a day later against NEC Nijmegen, rounding off a busy but crucial stretch of matches for Chiefs as they prepare for the 2025/26 season.

With Cele settling into his role as a midfield anchor and the team continuing to adjust to Nabi’s methods, these high-calibre friendlies will play a pivotal role in shaping the squad’s readiness for the upcoming domestic campaign. Chiefs fans will be eager to see how the side responds in their next outing—and whether the lessons from Vitesse will start bearing fruit on the pitch.