Olympique Lyon Coach Paulo Fonseca Banned Until November for Referee Outburst
The Portuguese coach received a nine-month touchline ban following an aggressive confrontation with a referee during a Ligue 1 match.
- Paulo Fonseca, head coach of Olympique Lyon, has been banned from the touchline until November 30, 2025, following a disciplinary ruling by the French football league.
- The ban stems from an incident during Lyon's 2-1 victory over Stade Brest, where Fonseca aggressively confronted referee Benoît Millot after a controversial decision in stoppage time.
- In addition to the touchline ban, Fonseca is prohibited from entering the team's dressing room on matchdays until September 15, 2025.
- Fonseca apologized for his actions post-match, acknowledging his behavior was inappropriate and unprofessional.
- The ban does not apply to UEFA competitions, allowing Fonseca to manage Lyon in their upcoming Europa League fixtures.