Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca has been handed a strict suspension by the French League’s disciplinary commission following a heated altercation with a referee during his side’s 2-1 victory over Brest in Ligue 1.
The ruling, announced Wednesday, bars Fonseca from the dugout and the referee’s dressing room until November 30. Additionally, he is prohibited from entering Lyon’s own dressing room until mid-September.
Disciplinary commission president Sébastien Deneux described Fonseca’s actions as “intimidating and threatening,” noting that the Portuguese coach “threw himself at the referee and shouted at him.”
Fonseca, who took charge just four weeks ago after replacing Pierre Sage, has now overseen only three matches—a loss to Marseille, a 4-0 win over Reims, and Sunday’s victory over Brest—leaving Lyon in sixth place.
The decision comes just a week after Marseille president Pablo Longoria received a 15-match ban for alleging referee corruption.
Deneux condemned Fonseca’s behavior, stating: “A Ligue 1 coach is, above all, a teacher. This attitude is entirely incompatible with his responsibilities.”
The ruling raises serious questions about Fonseca’s future at Lyon, as he faces the challenge of leading the club without direct access to his team for months.
