BG Pathum United coach Makoto Teguramori on Sunday admitted that the Rabbits will enter Mondy's AFC Champions League quarter-final clash against Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds as "underdogs".
The match will kick off 6pm Thai time and can be seen live on ELEVEN SPORTS platform.
Urawa are the overwhelming favourites to progress to the semi-finals of the Asian club competition.
"Compared to clubs from Japan and South Korea, it's fair to say that we are underdogs in many people's eyes," Teguramori said yesterday.
"But the pressure is on them. We need to go out there and express ourselves.
"I think the game will draw the Japanese's attention to Thailand football. We must go out there and show that the Southeast Asian sides can compete on the Asian stage."
Pathum reached the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time after a convincing 4-0 triumph over Kitchee of Hong Kong on Friday.
Meanwhile, Urawa coach Ricardo Rodriguez warned his players against complacency ahead of their game with the Rabbits.
Two-time champions Urawa cruised into the last eight with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim on Friday, prompting hopes of another run deep into the competition, but the Spanish coach wants the focus to be solely on the immediate task at hand.
"This is a very important game for us," said Rodriguez. "We need to continue in our way and I think we are in a very good condition but it's in that moment we have to be alert. We have to do our job.
"This is another game and our opponent should make it difficult for us. We have to show our level and pass to the next round.
"I'm thinking only about the next game. We have to play one game at a time. All our rivals are difficult, so we have to go step by step and without being overconfident so we can win this game.
"From my experience in Thailand, I know they will want to fight against a Japanese team and show themselves. They will not give anything to us so we have to show what we are on the pitch, with good concentration. We can't relax at all," added Rodriguez.
Swat Cats get off the mark
A last-gasp goal gave Nakhon Ratchasima their first win of the new season as they edged hosts PT Prachuap 1-0 in a Thai League one battle on Sunday night.
Ekkalarp Harnpanichkij netted the winner for the Swat Cats in the fourth minute of injury time.
In the late game on Saturday night, Chonburi put on an impressive show to defeat the Police Tero 2-0 at home.
