Lyon Manager Paulo Fonseca Hit With Nine-Month Ban After Clash With Referee

Lyon manager, Paulo Fonseca, has been handed a nine-month touchline ban following his confrontation with a referee last weekend.

Fonseca, penalized with a lengthy suspension on his 52nd birthday, has been barred from the dugout until November next year after confronting French referee Benoit Millot in Sunday’s 2-1 Ligue 1 home win against Brest.

After being sent off by Millot, Fonseca angrily confronted the match official, screaming in his face.

The Portuguese coach has also been banned by the French Professional Football League from entering the Lyon dressing room until September.

FPFL disciplinary committee president Sebastien Deneux said, “Mr Fonseca is a Ligue 1 coach. He is, above all, an educator. This attitude is strictly incompatible with these duties.

“Mr. Fonseca’s attitude, throwing himself towards the referee, yelling at him, to the point that they found themselves head to head, is an attitude characteristic of intimidating and threatening behavior.”

Former Roma, Lille, and AC Milan head coach Fonseca, who apologized for his behavior after the match, replaced the sacked Pierre Sage as Lyon boss at the end of January and has been in charge for just three matches.

Lyon, currently sixth in the Ligue 1 table, will face Steaua Bucharest in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 matchup this Thursday.