Nasreddine Nabi Faces Harsh League Reality Despite Nedbank Cup Final Boost

While guiding Kaizer Chiefs to the Nedbank Cup final in his debut season offers a glimmer of hope, head coach Nasreddine Nabi is staring down a troubling reality in the Betway Premiership. With just four matches remaining in the league, Amakhosi’s domestic campaign hangs in a precarious balance.

As things stand, Chiefs have little to celebrate in the league. Their hopes of finishing in the top four are virtually out of reach, with first and second place long gone and third and fourth out of their control. This leaves positions five through eight as the most realistic targets—yet even those are far from assured.

Chiefs are currently without a win in their last five league outings, and with teams like Chippa United and Golden Arrows holding games in hand, the risk of finishing outside the top eight is growing by the week. To make matters more challenging, points from their fixtures against Royal AM are set to be nullified, potentially reducing their tally to just 30.

This means the maximum number of points Chiefs can achieve this season is 42—if they win all their remaining matches against Marumo Gallants, Orlando Pirates, Sekhukhune United, and Polokwane City. But expecting them to secure 12 points from those games, while simultaneously relying on other results to go their way, seems overly optimistic at best.

Nabi’s side has already endured a season of unwanted records. For the first time in their history, Chiefs have lost both home and away matches to Mamelodi Sundowns, SuperSport United, and Golden Arrows in a single season. Notably, Pirates and Polokwane City also defeated Chiefs in the first round, setting the stage for potential season doubles.

In fact, Chiefs have never before suffered two league defeats in one season to the same coach from Golden Arrows—a fate they endured this year. Historically, such scenarios have led to coaching changes, as seen during the eras of Muhsin Ertugral, Doctor Khumalo, and Stuart Baxter.

This campaign, Chiefs have failed to register a win against at least seven different opponents, including TS Galaxy and Cape Town City. They drew both matches against Galaxy and managed only a draw and a loss against Cape Town City.

While reaching the Nedbank Cup final offers some solace and a shot at silverware, the overall picture in the league paints a stark contrast. Chiefs host Marumo Gallants on Saturday at FNB Stadium (15:00), a match that now carries massive significance—not for title aspirations, but for simply salvaging pride and securing a top-eight finish.

With both form and history weighing heavily on them, Amakhosi must find a spark to end the season on a positive note or risk turning a hopeful cup run into the only redeeming moment of an otherwise forgettable league campaign.