Coach Popov speaks bluntly about VFF's severe penalty

Coach Popov commented after VFF issued a penalty related to tense incidents in round 18 of V-League, drawing public attention.

The incident originated from the final minutes of the match at Hang Day Stadium in round 18 of V-League 2025-2026, when referee Nguyen Viet Duan gave a yellow card to Thanh Hoa defender Truong Thanh Nam after a tackle on Wesley Nata. This decision provoked strong reactions from The Cong members, who believed the situation deserved a red card rather than just a warning.

Unable to remain calm, Coach Velizar Popov repeatedly waved his arms and shouted toward the main referee. He quickly received a yellow card but continued to rush onto the field to confront Mr. Duan directly. The consequence was a second yellow card being issued, suspending the Bulgarian strategist from coaching.The matter later escalated with an official penalty from VFF.

After being suspended from coaching, Coach Popov still did not stop. He forcefully snatched the coach's badge he was wearing on his neck and threw it toward the technical area despite attempts by his colleagues to restrain him. Nevertheless, he remained seated in the coaching area and only left for the dressing room after receiving further warnings from the main referee, indicating the level of tension was beyond control.

Based on documents submitted by Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF), the VFF Disciplinary Committee issued a penalty banning Coach Popov from coaching for four matches along with a fine of 20 million VND. This is not the first time an individual in V-League has been penalized for excessive reactions toward referees, especially amid increasing controversies over match officiating.

Previously, in the 2023-2024 season, Mr. Tran Tien Dai, while still Technical Director of Hanoi Police Club, was banned for five matches for a similar reaction during a match against Binh Duong, also at Hang Day Stadium and officiated by the same referee Nguyen Viet Duan. This precedent shows VFF maintains a firm stance against behaviors affecting the league's image.

However, Coach Popov did not accept the penalty passively. He believes the organizers only considered his actions while overlooking errors from the referee side. The strategist born in 1976 stated to VnExpress: "I want V-League to end unfair decisions from referees." He also emphasized: "I will fight to the end, for fairness for the team and players. No one can sway or stop me."This statement is stirring public opinion domestically.

Currently, The Cong has not yet decided whether to appeal the penalty. If unchanged, the team will lack direct guidance from the head coach in the upcoming four matches against HAGL, Da Nang, Ninh Binh, and Ha Tinh. This is undoubtedly a significant loss during a crucial phase of the season.

Popov is famously known as a charismatic coach in V-League. After three seasons coaching Thanh Hoa and The Cong, he has received 13 yellow cards and 2 red cards, along with many post-match penalties related to reactions and statements. Most recently, he mentioned referee Le Vu Linh with controversial phrasing, attracting substantial public attention after the draw with SLNA, but was not penalized, further fueling debates about consistency in disciplinary work.