The Vietnamese overseas player was subjected to a harsh foul, causing frustration for the Spanish coach.

The 1-1 draw between Ninh Binh FC and Becamex TPHCM in the 9th round of the 2025/26 V.League caused much debate, especially after Ninh Binh’s Vietnamese overseas midfielder Tran Thanh Trung suffered a serious foul and had to leave the field early.

Spanish coach Gerard Albadalejo showed clear frustration after the match: "I don’t yet know the exact injury status; we must wait for the doctor’s assessment. But the Becamex TPHCM player tackled dangerously, causing Thanh Trung to tear his shin, even touching the bone. What I find hard to understand is that no red card was given for that incident.

Initially, the referee did not award a penalty; the VAR review was needed, and now my player has to be hospitalized. I really don’t understand. The referee’s failure to issue a card for such a violent foul is completely unacceptable."

During an offensive push in the 10th minute, Tran Thanh Trung was tackled inside the penalty area by defender Tran Dinh Khuong, resulting in injury. Trung earned a penalty for Ninh Binh but had to leave the field in the 20th minute due to severe pain and inability to continue.

The 42-year-old coach stated that Thanh Trung is a vital link in Ninh Binh’s tactical setup: "Thanh Trung brings balance to our midfield and is very effective during set pieces. When he had to leave the pitch, the entire team was certainly impacted."

Thanh Trung is included in the U22 Vietnam squad for November to prepare for SEA Games 33, so this injury at this time is unfortunate news.

Regarding the V.League 2025/26 title race, Coach Albadalejo said: "CAHN still has one match to play — against HAGL away. They are in good form, but in football, no opponent should be underestimated. It’s wrong to assume CAHN will win their remaining games. Yesterday they won thanks to a controversial penalty.

We follow our own path, and so does CAHN. Ninh Binh’s mission is to focus on what we do well and improve our weaknesses."

The Spanish coach also believes his team deserved to win against Becamex TPHCM:

"I think we should have won this match. The whole team needs to raise the intensity to score a second goal. Ultimately, Becamex TPHCM showed resilience and earned a point. This is a valuable lesson for us."

After 9 matches, Ninh Binh FC has 21 points, just one point ahead of CAHN, who still have one game left to play.

At 18:00 on November 5th, Gerard Albadalejo’s team will continue their home matches by facing SLNA.