Buriram United striker Supachai Chaided remains confident the reigning ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup champions can defend their crown despite a slow start to the 2025/26 campaign.
The Thai League 1 giants, who defeated Công An Hà Nội FC in a dramatic final last May to lift the inaugural title, have drawn their opening two matches this season and currently sit outside the knockout qualification spots with three games left.
Yet the 26-year-old insists there is no panic in the camp, saying his team is “one hundred percent focused” on defending the title when the group stage resumes on December 3.
Last season, Buriram United’s Shopee Cup triumph capped a historic quadruple that also included the Thai League 1, FA Cup, and League Cup titles. Supachai, who was the league’s top scorer in the two previous campaigns, contributed 17 goals in all competitions, including two in the Shopee Cup.
Their season culminated in a thrilling two-legged final that ended 5-5 on aggregate before Buriram triumphed in a penalty shoot-out at a packed Buriram Stadium. Supachai described that night as “incredible,” praising the unity of the players, coaches, and backroom staff who helped the team navigate multiple tournaments successfully.
The club has since undergone a major transformation, with quadruple-winning coach Osmar Loss replaced by Englishman Mark Jackson, while key players such as Lucas Crispim, Dion Cools, and Martin Boakye have departed.
Despite the turnover, Supachai believes the changes can elevate the team further as they aim to build on last season’s success in both the Shopee Cup and AFC Champions League Elite.
Having recently found the net in a 2-0 win over Shanghai Port, Supachai is also determined to rediscover his scoring form, stressing the importance of consistency and contributing goals to help Buriram achieve even greater success this year.
