Nam Định FC coach Mauro Jerónimo says his team have set their sights on a place in the knockout rounds of the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ ahead of their Group B clash with Bangkok United FC in Pathum Thani.
The V.League 1 champions are second in the standings but will move two points clear of current leaders Johor Darul Ta’zim FC if they pick up their third win of the campaign on Wednesday.
“Our preparation follows the same process every week,” said the Portuguese coach. “We analyse our opponents, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and then prepare the game plan according to our philosophy.
“We know Bangkok United FC are a strong team, especially playing at home, and we are ready for this challenge.
“Our main target is to qualify for the next round. We have to take it game by game. Right now, our focus is on this match, trying to win and put ourselves in a good position. Qualification is our objective, but it starts with performing well tomorrow.”
The top two teams in each group will advance to the semi-finals in May and JDT lead Group B having played one match more than Nam Định, who defeated PKR Svay Rieng FC and Shan United FC in their previous outings in the 2025/26 edition of the Shopee Cup™
Jerónimo’s team take on a Bangkok United side that lost their opener to JDT in September before drawing 2-2 with Lion City Sailors FC earlier this month to sit in fifth in the six-team group.
“We have played many matches against tough opponents in a short period of time and have travelled a lot,” Bangkok United coach Totchtawan Sripan said of his team’s recent schedule.
“Even so, we have had time to prepare for this game. Nam Định FC have many high-quality foreign players, not only in quality but also in quantity. For our side, we will select the players who are in the best condition and match fitness to try to get the best possible result.
“(Nam Định) are in good form and have many quality foreign players, including some who are now involved at international level.
“We know their strengths and also their weaknesses. Even though we do not have much time to prepare, we have tried our best to analyse them and focus on playing to our own strengths and tactical identity to exploit the opponent.”
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