Ligue One side Lyon will not have head coach Paulo Fonseca for nine-months being banned for confronting referee Benoit Millot during his team’s 2-1 victory over Brest on Sunday.
The incident occurred in a league game between Lyon and Brest when Millot was called over to the pitchside monitor to review a last-minute penalty decision against Fonseca’s side.
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The Lyon boss angrily approached the referee who pulled out a red card and dismissed Fonseca. The 52-year-old then squared up to Millot and their heads touched as the coach continued to vent his displeasure.
Ligue 1’s Disciplinary Committee announced their decision to ban Fonseca until November 30 on Wednesday 5 March. The severe punishment was expected as confronting an official holds a minimum seven-month suspension which Fonseca would have been aware of.
The Disciplinary Committee released a statement which reads: “Behaviour of Paulo Fonseca, coach of Olympique Lyonnais. Firm suspension before, during and after the match from access to the bench, the officials’ locker rooms and all official functions, until November 30, 2025, inclusive.
“In addition, until September 15, 2025 inclusive, this suspension will be accompanied before, during and after the match, by a ban on access to the players’ locker rooms, the pitch, the tunnel and all corridors leading to the aforementioned areas.
“The sanction takes effect immediately.”
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