Lyon Boss Paulo Fonseca Handed Nine-Month Ban After Referee Clash

Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca has been handed a nine-month suspension following his heated altercation with referee Benoit Millot during Lyon’s 2-1 victory over Brest at the start of March.

The Portuguese coach reacted furiously to being shown a straight red card, aggressively confronting Millot and making physical contact by pushing his head into the referee’s face.

Although Fonseca later issued an apology for his actions, the disciplinary committee has imposed a strict ban, barring him from the touchline, the bench, the dressing rooms, and any official match-related functions until November 30.

Speaking to L’Equipe after the match, Millot detailed the tense moment: “He rushed toward me with an intimidating attitude, and I decided to send him off immediately. There was, it seems, slight contact with the nose. It was a particularly aggressive and threatening behavior—something you wouldn’t expect from a professional coach.”

READ ALSO: Bitcoin Surges Past $90,000 as Trump Delays Auto Tariffs

Sebastien Deneux, president of the disciplinary committee, also condemned Fonseca’s conduct, emphasizing the responsibilities that come with being a Ligue 1 coach.

“The commission deplores that, once again, a major figure in Ligue 1 has displayed such behavior, abandoning the professionalism and responsibility expected of them,” Deneux stated. “Mr. Fonseca is more than just a coach; he is an educator. Such an attitude is entirely incompatible with his role.”

Due to the severity of the incident, the committee extended the suspension further. In addition to being banned from the touchline and referee’s locker room until November 30, Fonseca is also prohibited from accessing Lyon’s own dressing room before, during, and after matches until September 15.

Fonseca joined Lyon in January after being dismissed by AC Milan, but his tenure has been far from smooth. The club, currently sitting in sixth place in Ligue 1, now faces the challenge of managing without their head coach’s presence on the sidelines.