The top two sides of Group G face off in the AFC Champions League on Tuesday when Thai League 1 title-holders Buriram United welcome Chinese Super League winners Guangzhou Evergrande at Chang Arena for a game that could see the visitors advance to the knockout rounds.
Buriram gained four points from their two previous games against Japanese club Cerezo Osaka with a 2-2 away draw last time out giving the Thai team real hopes of progressing to the next round for the first time since 2013.
The top two teams of each group advance to the knockout stage.
Having got a draw at Guangzhou in the opening game of the campaign, victory in the return fixture would move Buriram to the top of the standings with just a game to play, and they will welcome key midfielder and captain Jakkraphan Kaewprom back from a one-match suspension.
Both sides warmed up for today's clash with domestic victories over the weekend, with Buriram seeing off Chonburi 2-1 in Thai League 1 and Guangzhou defeating Tianjin Quanjian 1-0 in the Chinese Super League.
Buriram coach Bozidar Bandovic told yesterday's pre-match press conference that he hoped his men will get a result today.
"Tomorrow's game will be a special one for us as we will play against one of the best teams in Asia,'' he said.
"This will be our third match in one week. Our players may be exhausted but they are looking forward to the match."
"We hope we again get a good result like we did in several matches in this year's AFC Champions League. With a win, we will have a high chance of qualifying for the next round. It is a challenging task for our club and players. We are representing Thailand and we hope to do well."
Brazilian forward Edgar Bruno is likely to partner in-form compatriot Diogo Luis Santo in Buriram's strike force, he said.
Diogo leads the Thai League 1 scoring charts with 11 goals in eight games this term.
The Brazilian, who was on target in Buriram's win over Chonburi on Saturday, have scored 101 goals for the Thunder Castle in all competitions. He is the first Buriram's player to reach the century mark.
"A lot of people thought we could not fight Guangzhou but we proved we can with a draw at their home. I have confidence in my players who work very hard,'' Bandovic said.
Jakkraphan said: "We have got good results in this campaign. My teammates are confident and ready to play against Guangzhou although they are strong."
Guangzhou coach Fabio Cannavaro said: "Buriram are a good team. They drew with us in the first leg so this game will be tough for us. If we win this game, we will surely qualify for the knockout round. So we will have to win this game to make sure that we reach the next round."
In today's other Group G game, Cerezo Osaka host South Korea's Jeju United.
