In the 13th minute, Michael Ngadeu cleared the ball powerfully from Beijing's side. The ball flew high, then crashed down, breaking a section of the home team's dugout roof. Debris struck Setien's head, causing him to bleed profusely. After receiving initial treatment from the team doctor, he continued to manage the game.

At halftime, the Spanish coach received further medical attention for his injury.

A doctor attends to a cut on coach Quique Setien's head during the 2-2 draw between Beijing Guoan and Cong An Ha Noi in their AFC Champions League Two 2025-2026 Group E opener at Workers' Stadium, Beijing, on 18/9/2025. Photo: Weibo/Pablo

"The cut was about 5 cm long," Setien's assistant said. "The coach asked me to tell everyone that he is fine after receiving treatment from the doctor."

In the second half, cameras captured Setien sitting motionless during a scuffle between players from both teams in the 80th minute. Some Chinese social media users speculated that this indicated the 1958-born coach was losing control, following rumors of his potential dismissal due to Beijing's poor performance. However, his head injury and the tension of the game were also cited as factors affecting his demeanor.

In the post-match press conference, Setien addressed the injury lightheartedly. "I went into the dressing room and asked Ngadeu, 'Were you aiming for me?'", he joked. "I feel fine. This injury won't affect future team selections."

A hole in the roof of Beijing Guoan's dugout after Michael Ngadeu's powerful clearance. Photo: Sina

Beijing Guoan's opening Group E match of the AFC Champions League Two 2025-2026 at the Workers' Stadium proved challenging. The team could only field one foreign player, Ngadeu, due to injuries to the others.

Beijing's goal was under constant threat before Vitao scored in the 15th minute. However, two defensive errors by Cong An Ha Noi (CAHN) allowed Beijing to take a 2-1 lead in the 49th and 65th minutes. Despite this, a lapse in concentration in the 73rd minute forced them to share the points with the Vietnamese team.

Setien described the match against CAHN as difficult due to their effective pressing. He considered it one of the most stressful games since his arrival in China.

"They have good players and the coach has developed a strong tactical system," Setien said. "I didn't expect Vietnam to have such a strong team. In other words, this is a team with half Vietnamese and half Brazilian blood."

Quique Setien is a renowned coach, having managed several clubs in Spain, including Las Palmas (2015-2017), Real Betis (2017-2019), Barcelona (2020), and Villarreal (2022-2023). Setien spent 7 months at Barcelona before being dismissed after the 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League.

In early 2024, Setien joined Beijing Guoan, guiding them to a 4th place finish in the Chinese Super League. After 24 matches this season, the team is again in 4th place with six rounds remaining.

Hieu Luong