Xisco Muñoz "No Excuses" as JDT Aim to End Buriram Hoodoo
Johor Darul Ta'zim head coach Xisco Muñoz says his side is fully prepared for "whatever scenario" Buriram United presents when the two sides meet in the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 League Stage (East Zone), with the Spaniard determined to see his team lay a marker down at the start of a new continental campaign.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference alongside squad player Eddy Israfilov, Muñoz stressed the importance of starting the competition on the front foot in front of a full house at home.
"Tomorrow is a new competition, and it's important for us," Muñoz said. "I hope the stadium is full and we give what the competition demands. This is a special game for us — one of the competitions we have very much in mind. We need to push ourselves step by step to reach the big levels, and tomorrow we have a team in front of us that will demand important things from us."
Despite Buriram United having appointed a new head coach only days before the tie — with Saturday's clash just his second game in charge — Muñoz was quick to play down any notion that the managerial change hands JDT an advantage.
"We've followed Buriram for a long time. They've changed their coach recently and maybe changed a few details, but I don't think they'll change their structure completely in such a short time," he explained. "We continue with the analysis we did before. It depends on which players they use — different attacking midfielders can give them different solutions, and we need to stay focused, especially in the first minutes, in case something changes from what we prepared."
Muñoz singled out one Buriram attacker in particular as a threat to be wary of throughout the contest. "It's important to stop the transitions — [the player] is dangerous. If you give him even a small chance, he has the capacity to score. We need to manage that, stay in control, and push them back in the final third."
With a large first-team squad at his disposal, Muñoz admitted selection headaches are a regular part of the job — but insisted every player understands what's required to force their way into his plans.
"I'm a lucky coach because I have such a big squad ready for these kinds of games," he said. "Sometimes it's difficult to choose who even makes the list, and then who starts. But this is one more responsibility for the players — they need to show, until the end of the year, that we chose well. If they don't give 100%, someone else is ready to take their place."
Squad player Eddy Israfilov echoed his coach's message of readiness, confirming he would give everything if called upon by Muñoz for the continental opener.
"Of course, tomorrow we'll see what the coach decides. I'm ready — if I play, I'll give my 100%," Israfilov said. "I know the team well, and I expect a good day for us tomorrow."
Asked whether Buriram's coaching change represented a chance to finally get the better of a side JDT have historically struggled against, Muñoz was unequivocal in rejecting any excuses — for either side.
"I don't see it as a positive or a negative. The players are the same players, I know what the opponent has. I remember exactly how we felt after the last time we played them," he said, referencing a previous defeat to the Thai side.
"Tomorrow we need to show everyone that was just an accident. It doesn't matter if their coach has been in the job for one day, two days, or twenty days — for me, there are no excuses. What we need tomorrow is our players and our staff to understand this is the moment, and to show our character, our passion, and our values to represent JDT well."
On his side's tactical approach, Muñoz kept his cards close to his chest. "Our plan, I won't tell you here in front of the camera," he said with a smile. "But we've prepared for everything — if they attack, if they sit and counter, if they defend deep. We've prepared very well for all the scenarios, and tomorrow we'll show what we've been working on."
Israfilov was also asked to reflect on the club's summer recruitment, with new arrivals continuing to bolster JDT's squad depth ahead of the continental campaign. Asked to comment on a comparison with new teammate Kevin, competing for a defensive spot, Israfilov was full of praise.
"Kevin is a very good player, like all the new players who've come in to help us," he said. "We were already a very good team last year in the Champions League, and the players who've come now will help us be even better. I think we can do very good things together."
Johor Darul Ta'zim host Buriram United in Matchday 1 of the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 League Stage, East Zone, on 15 September,
Credit Photo : JST
