European Coach Sets Unwanted Record in Vietnam

Coach Velizar Popov is perhaps the strategist who holds the record for the number of penalties received from the VFF due to different infractions.

On April 14th afternoon, the Disciplinary Committee of the Vietnam Football Federation issued a penalty decision against Coach Velizar Popov following reactions deemed to exceed permissible limits during the match between The Cong Viettel and Thanh Hoa in round 18 of V.League 1 2025/26. The controversial incident occurred in the 90th minute, when Thanh Nam fouled Wesley Nata near the touchline. Standing close to the collision area, Coach Popov reacted vehemently, repeatedly shouting onto the field and displaying a harsh attitude towards the referee team.

The main referee Nguyen Viet Duan promptly issued a yellow card to warn the Bulgarian strategist. However, that did not calm the situation. Coach Popov continued to rush towards the referee area, engaging in more tense behaviors and remarks. Faced with this escalating reaction, Mr. Duan had to issue a second yellow card, equivalent to an indirect red card, suspending the Viettel side's coach from directing the match right on the field.

Based on the match supervisor's report and the referee team's input, the VFF Disciplinary Committee imposed an additional penalty. Accordingly, Coach Popov was fined 20 million VND and banned from coaching for the next 4 matches. This decision significantly impacts The Cong Viettel's competitive ambitions, as the military-backed team is chasing the top group and trails Hanoi Police by 7 points on the standings.

The absence of Coach Popov during this crucial phase further complicates Viettel's situation. In the upcoming 4 matches, they will face opponents such as Da Nang, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Hong Linh Ha Tinh, and Ninh Binh. These are teams either battling to stay in the league or directly competing for rankings, promising many challenges. The lack of the captain on the coaching bench is clearly a major loss both tactically and psychologically.

Notably, this is not the first time Coach Popov has faced disciplinary actions due to reactions towards referees. While managing Thanh Hoa, he was once banned from coaching after accumulating the required number of yellow cards in V.League 1 2023/24. Additionally, this coach was also suspended from coaching duties in round 22 of the same season, for similar reasons related to intense reactions during matches.

Furthermore, in May 2024, Mr. Popov was penalized for not attending the post-match press conference after losing to TP.HCM, and also received another yellow card for reactionary behavior. By February 2025, tensions escalated when he was dismissed from coaching but refused to leave the field, forcing security personnel to intervene during the draw between Thanh Hoa and TP.HCM. This series of incidents highlights Coach Popov's strong personality, but also raises questions about his emotional control, as this has repeatedly directly affected the teams he manages.

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