Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca handed nine-month suspension after heated clash with referee

Olympique Lyonnais head coach Paulo Fonseca has been suspended for nine months by the French Professional Football League (LFP) following a heated confrontation with referee Benoît Millot during Lyon’s 2-1 Ligue 1 victory over Brest. The LFP confirmed on Wednesday that Fonseca will be banned from the touchline, referee dressing rooms, and all official match-related activities until November 30.

The incident unfolded when Millot reviewed a potential penalty for Brest—one that was ultimately not awarded. Fonseca’s reaction led to an immediate red card for what the referee described as an "intimidating attitude." Explaining his decision, Millot told L’Équipe, "He came at me with an intimidating attitude and I decided to send him off straight away. It got out of hand."

Following the match, Fonseca apologized for his outburst, which ended only after Lyon players intervened to pull him away from the official. However, the club has strongly criticized the severity of the punishment, arguing that the decision was influenced by broader issues surrounding French refereeing rather than being based solely on the manager’s actions.

"In light of a sanction that seems to have been dictated by the negative context affecting French refereeing, (Lyon) announced that it is studying all possible avenues of appeal," the club said in a statement.

The controversy comes amid growing tensions in French football, particularly regarding the treatment of referees. Last week, the French referees' union warned that its members could resign if they or their families faced threats, following what they described as an "outpouring of hatred" against an official in response to comments made by Olympique de Marseille president Pablo Longoria.

SportsLigue