Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca has been handed a nearly nine-month suspension from matchday duties following an intense confrontation with referee Benoit Millot.
The incident occurred during Lyon’s 2-1 victory over Brest on March 2, when the 52-year-old Portuguese coach was sent off for aggressively confronting the official.
According to Millot, Fonseca pushed his face toward him in an “intimidating attitude,” leading to his immediate dismissal.
In a statement, the French Professional Football League (LFP) confirmed that Fonseca would be prohibited from accessing the bench, officials’ dressing rooms, and conducting any official match-related duties until November 30.
Furthermore, his punishment restricts him from entering the team’s dressing room, pitch, tunnel, and connecting corridors until September 15.
Reacting to the ruling, Lyon expressed concern over the “extreme severity” of the penalty and the speed at which it was imposed.
The club argued that Fonseca’s actions were purely emotional and did not reflect any real intent to physically harm the referee.
In a statement, the club said:
“We are disappointed that Fonseca was not judged on his actions alone, which were an emotional reaction without any clear intention of physically attacking the referee. We are currently studying all possible avenues of appeal.”
Fonseca himself apologized after the match, acknowledging that emotions got the better of him.
Referee Benoit Millot later described the tense encounter in an interview with L’Equipe, stating:
“He jumped at me with an intimidating attitude, and I decided to send him off directly. It continued to spiral out of control. He had an even more intense attitude, attempting to deliver a blow, in fact.
A headbutt. There seemed to be a slight contact of the nose, to be precise.”
The LFP’s decision comes amid growing tensions in French football regarding referee treatment.
Last week, the French referees union warned that its members would exercise their right to withdraw from matches if they or their families were put at risk.
This followed an “outpouring of hate” toward a match official after comments from Marseille president Pablo Longoria.
Fonseca, who took charge of Lyon on January 31 after leaving AC Milan, now faces a prolonged absence from the touchline.
His suspension comes at a crucial point in the season, with Lyon currently sitting sixth in Ligue 1 and preparing to face FCSB in the Europa League on Thursday.
