Asean Club title holders Buriram United begin their defence of the Shopee Cup Championship tonight when they travel to Malaysia to face Selangor FC in the first leg of the final.
The Thai champions, nicknamed the Thunder Castle, will be without two key figures.
Guilherme Bissoli, joint-top scorer in the competition with seven goals, and influential midfielder Goran Causic are both suspended after being sent off in extra time of last week's semi-final second leg against Johor Darul Ta'zim. Buriram lost that match 2-1 but advanced 4-3 on aggregate thanks to Kingsley Schindler's decisive strike.
Head coach Mark Jackson admitted the absences were significant but insisted his side would adapt.
"Losing players like that is a massive loss, but as a group we will find a way. That is why we have a squad and it creates opportunities for others," he said.
"It is my job to prepare the team and we will give opportunities to others to step up and make our fans proud again."
Tonight's meeting is the second between the clubs this season. In August, they drew 1-1 in Buriram during the group stage.
Former Buriram striker Chrigor Moraes, now leading Selangor's attack, scored in that game before Peter Zulj equalised late on. Moraes has been in prolific form, netting all four goals in Selangor's semi-final victory over Nam Dinh FC.
Jackson replaced Brazilian coach Osmar Loss in October and has guided Buriram through the knockout rounds with confidence.
"Myself and the staff always study everything in depth about the opponent, the venue, the weather conditions and all the details around the match," Jackson said. "The preparation behind the scenes has been fantastic and we will be fully ready for the final."
Rise of Red Giants
Selangor, coached by South Korean Kim Pan-Gon, have enjoyed a remarkable run since his appointment in January. The former Malaysia national team boss has overseen 15 wins, five draws and just one defeat in 21 matches.
Chrigor's five goals and the creativity of winger Faisal Halim have been central to their progress.
"I think we deserve to reach the final," said Kim. "We want to challenge ourselves against anybody and we will try our best to give the best performance possible to our Red Giants supporters."
The first leg takes place at MBPJ Stadium, with the return fixture scheduled for Buriram Stadium on 27 May.
Nitipong returns to Port
Port have re-signed defender Nitipong Selanon following the expiry of his contract with Bangkok United.
The 32-year-old, who previously played for Port between 2015 and 2021, turned down interest from other Thai League clubs to rejoin his former side.
He cited the chance to compete in next season's AFC Champions League Elite as a key factor.
Port could also qualify for the Shopee Cup if they defeat BG Pathum United in Sunday's Muang Thai Cup final.
