European coach has repeatedly sparked controversy with his remarks in V.League.

Velizar Popov, the Bulgarian coach, once again sparks controversy with strong statements regarding the referees and the V-League operational system. He is currently at risk of receiving a severe sanction from the VFF Disciplinary Board.

Coach Velizar Popov once again becomes the center of attention in Vietnamese football following his controversial remarks after round 25 of the 2025/26 V-League. After a 1-1 draw between The Cong Viettel and Cong An TP.HCM, the Bulgarian strategist expressed his frustration with the league's management. These statements have led VPF Company to complete the dossier and submit it to the VFF Disciplinary Committee for review and potential action, sparking a major debate among experts and fans.

During the post-match press conference, Coach Popov frankly stated: "In this match, they didn't want us to win. It's simple. Who will give us back the two points we lost in the draw against PVF-CAND? The referee did his job well and got his reward." The 1976-born coach continued to express his discontent, claiming that his team has been repeatedly disadvantaged by controversial decisions throughout the season.

Not stopping there, Coach Popov also made strong observations about the professional football environment in Vietnam. He stated: "Every point that The Cong earns is a success against this competition system. We all know where the orders or instructions come from. I cannot fight against that system. That system fights against us every match week. I can't count how many points have been 'stolen' from us. I've stopped counting. Everything is terrible. I will leave this place and never come back. I don't want to be part of this."

This is not the first time the Bulgarian strategist has made headlines with his outspoken statements. After a win against SHB Da Nang in round 7, he had warned about time-wasting and existing problems in V-League. At that time, Coach Popov remarked: "If things remain the same for the next 2-3 years, Vietnamese football will lose to Nepal, Cambodia, or Bangladesh. It doesn't matter if you are the strongest team. To become champions, you need other factors off the pitch, and I think everyone understands what I'm saying. We are alone, not part of any system. Fighting alone against 13 other teams is very difficult."

In round 11, after a draw with SLNA, the coach again questioned the refereeing. He said: "I want everyone to watch that situation again and show me where the foul was. VAR intervention means the main referee should review his decision. But this is the first time I've seen the main referee disagree with VAR." At the same time, he recalled an incident where he was sent off, stating: "I was punished while trying to shout and instruct my players. I'm not surprised. He is a professional killer."

During more than four years working in Vietnam, Coach Velizar Popov has always been known as one of the most charismatic managers in V-League. However, this outspokenness has also led to him receiving multiple penalties from football authorities. Following his latest remarks after round 25, the head coach of The Cong Viettel is believed to face a possible touchline ban of 5 to 8 matches along with a fine as per regulations. The final decision is expected to be announced by the VFF Disciplinary Committee on June 2nd.