Buriram United kick off their AFC Champions League campaign today and for once the adventurous Thai champions are advocating caution as they get ready to take on South Korea's FC Seoul at their own I-Mobile Stadium.
Buriram players during a training session yesterday.
Buriram are the only Thai representatives left in Asia's top-flight club competition as the two other contenders -- SCG Muang Thong United and Chonburi -- both crashed out in the play-off stage.
At a pre-match conference in Buri Ram yesterday, Thunder Castle coach Alexandre Gama said: "Don't expect us to go on the attack from the start. This is not happening -- not against a strong team like FC Seoul."
Gama said the target was to claim three points, but admitted it is not going to be an easy task for the hosts.
He said: "Although the Korean league has yet to get underway this season, their leading clubs have all been busy playing warm-up matches.
"I have worked in South Korea and I know that they are not here on a holiday trip. They mean business. They will play to their best.
"We will not be attacking from the start. We cannot afford to make any mistakes against them."
Gama also underplayed the home turf advantage.
"We have always been strong while playing at home but we need to be cautious. We must try our best to pick up three points."
Buriram captain Suchao Nutnum said: "FC Seoul play at a very high level, but we have faced them before, both at home and away. Our last encounter was a draw at their ground.
"Osmar Ibanez, who was at Buriram two years ago, currently plays for FC Seoul. We know him very well and we know his style as well. We are not afraid of him and I am sure we can restrict him from doing any major damage."
Ibanez, who also attended the press conference, made no attempt to deny that he had passed on important information about his former club to FC Seoul.
"I have warned my teammates that it won't be easy against Buriram," he said.
FC Seoul coach Choi Yong-Soo said: "This is our first real competitive game of the season and will have to try our best to get a good result. The weather here is quite hot which may cause problems but we have come prepared to win the match."
Meanwhile, China's megabucks teams will set their sights on continental glory when defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande and big-spending Jiangsu Suning embark on their AFC Champions League campaigns this week.
Chinese clubs have smashed the national transfer record four times in recent weeks and outstripped spending in the English Premier League, highlighted by Alex Teixeira's €50 million move to Jiangsu.
The club also splashed out €28 million on another Brazilian midfielder, Ramires from Chelsea, as they bid to challenge Luiz Felipe Scolari's Evergrande.
Evergrande, the Chinese and Asian title-holders, have brandished the cheque book too with a €42 million for Atletico Madrid's Colombian striker Jackson Martinez.
Evergrande will face South Korea's Pohang Steelers tomorrow.
Sven-Goran Eriksson's Shanghai SIPG also represent China in this year's competition along with Shandong Luneng, led by ex-Brazil boss Mano Menezes.