Former Milan coach Paulo Fonseca has been handed a significant nine-month suspension for an incident involving a referee during his time at Olympique Lyonnais.
Fonseca, who previously managed Milan in the summer of 2024 before being replaced by Sergio Conceicao on December 30, experienced a challenging period with the Italian club. His tenure included 12 wins, six draws, and six losses, and was also marked by disciplinary issues related to his reactions towards referees in Serie A.
His issues with referee conduct escalated further when he joined Olympique Lyonnais on January 31. After securing three victories and suffering two defeats, Fonseca was dismissed from a match against Brest on March 2 due to dissent.
Fonseca’s Career Takes a Turn
During the Brest game, referee Benoit Millot issued Fonseca a red card, to which the coach responded by shouting and pressing his forehead against Millot’s. This action was interpreted as an attempted headbutt and a highly aggressive act, with Millot later stating to L’Equipe that he felt intimidated.
Fonseca subsequently apologized, acknowledging his behavior was inappropriate, but reports suggested he could face a ban of up to seven months.
The official decision from the LFP has now been announced, imposing an even stricter penalty: a ban extending until November 30—a total of nine months.
Furthermore, the ban restricts Fonseca from entering the team’s locker room until September 15, impacting a significant portion of the upcoming season. This restriction applies both before matches and during halftime.
The future of Fonseca at Lyon remains uncertain, as the club now faces a decision regarding his position.