Artur received a direct red card for striking an opponent in the 55th minute during Cong an Ha Noi (CAHN)'s 1-3 loss to Tampines Rovers. This match, part of the return leg of the AFC Champions League (ACL) Two round of 16, took place on 18/2. CAHN's 1-6 aggregate defeat to the Singaporean representative eliminated them from the competition.

According to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Disciplinary and Ethics Regulations, even though CAHN exited the tournament, Artur would still face a suspension if he participated in AFC club competitions of the same category in subsequent seasons. These competitions include the ACL Elite, ACL Two, or AFC Challenge League.

However, this afternoon, the Brazilian forward unexpectedly learned he would be suspended for CAHN's V-League match against Thanh Hoa tomorrow, a rescheduled game from round 10. The V-League organizers, Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF), based this sanction on clause 6, article 11 of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Disciplinary Regulations (amended and supplemented in 2026).

Cong an Ha Noi forward Leonardo Artur (red jersey) plays in the 1-3 loss to Tampines Rovers during the return leg of the AFC Champions League Two 2025-2026 round of 16, at Jalan Besar stadium in Singapore on 18/2/2026. Photo: BG Tampines Rovers

The aforementioned clause stipulates that "a person who receives a direct red card in the final matches of an AFC club competition will be suspended from duty or playing in the next match of the national football league organized by the VFF or the tournament organizing unit."

Before the rescheduled round 10 fixtures, VPF's initial list of suspended players only included Nguyen Dinh Huyen of Thanh Hoa for accumulating three yellow cards. However, after re-examining the regulations, the tournament organizers added Artur's suspension.

CAHN views this as an "unusual regulation" and has discussed it with VPF. The club argues that the player is unfairly disadvantaged by facing both an AFC suspension and a ban in a domestic competition that is not part of the same system. However, overturning the decision is unlikely as the season is currently underway.

According to a source from VnExpress, the regulation in clause 6, article 11 aims to encourage fair play among players representing Vietnam in international competitions. Additionally, a ban will still be enforced even if they have no future opportunities to participate in AFC tournaments. This regulation has been in place for a long time and remained unchanged through several VFF amendments and supplements, originating from a time when Vietnamese clubs rarely participated in Asian-level competitions. Nevertheless, Artur's penalty presents an opportunity for the VFF Executive Committee to review and adjust the regulation to better suit current realities.

Prior to this incident, CAHN was handed a 0-3 defeat by the AFC after fielding two ineligible players, Rogerio Alves and Stefan Mauk, in their 4-0 victory over Tampines Rovers in the first leg of the ACL Two round of 16 on 11/2. Both players had accumulated three yellow cards in the group stage and should have been suspended for the first leg of the round of 16. Despite this, CAHN included them in the squad list, and both started, with Alves scoring the goal that made it 3-0.

In addition to the default loss, CAHN was fined 2.000 USD, which is approximately 50 trieu dong. They also had their 80.000 USD support, granted for reaching the ACL Two round of 16, reduced by one-half.

Hieu Luong