Central Coast Mariners will host AFC Champions League Elite football for the very first time in just one week’s time, here you can learn a little more about our opponents, Buriram United.
The Champions of the Thai League 1 visit our Paradise on Tuesday 1st October, 6pm kick-off. Mariners fans can save with great value ACLE Memberships available from just $60 via the Official Mariners Membership Portal. Alternatively, individual match tickets are now available via Ticketek.
ℹ️ About Buriram United
Buriram have been a dominant force in Thailand over the last 10 years, winning seven out of the last 10 Thai League 1 titles and finishing as runners-up a further two times in that period. They have also won the Thai League, FA Cup and League Cup treble three times, with a total of 28 trophies since 2008.
🗓 23/24 season report
Buriram claimed their third consecutive Thai League 1 title last season, finishing eight points clear of Bangkok United which earned them direct qualification for Asia’s top competition for a third season in a row.
In the 23/24 Champions League, Buriram were drawn in the same group as Melbourne City. Despite starting with a promising 4-1 victory over Zhejiang, they won just one more game (1-0 win at AAMI Park) which saw them finish bottom of the group and crash out of the competition at the first hurdle alongside City.
🇦🇺 Australians amongst their most notable players
Recent for additions for Buriram include Filipino international and former Premier League goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, former A-League defender Curtis Good and ex-Real Madrid academy defender Marcelo Djalo.
Also at the back for Buriram is ex-Socceroo Kenny Dougall who joined the club in January after a 10-year stint in Europe playing in the Dutch top-flight for Sparta Rotterdam and in the English Football League for Barnsley and Blackpool.
Buriram’s front three contains Brazilian duo Lucas Crispin and Guilherme Bissoli as well as Supachai Chaided, one of the club’s most legendary figures. Chaided has made the third-most appearances (270) and scored the second-most goals (86) in the club’s history.
🔝 Starting 24/25 in form
Currently seven games into the Thai League 1 season which kicked off in August, Buriram have started exactly how they left off last season. They sit unbeaten, at the top of the table having won six and drawn one, scoring 25 goals and conceding just twice. Their most recent result was a 6-0 win over Prachuap.
On opening night in the Champions League, Buriram gained a very respectable point at home to Japanese giants Vissel Kobe. Despite the J1 League club dominating possession, Buriram’s new-look back three of Good, Dougall and Djalo defended resolutely with 24 defensive actions between them to keep Vissel Kobe at bay.
