Lyon head coach Paulo Fonseca to be handed months-long touchline ban | OneFootball

Lyon head coach Paulo Fonseca is set to be handed a lengthy touchline ban following his violent outburst against referee Benoît Millot in the dying minutes of Les Gones‘ narrow 2-1 home win against Brest. Millot was called to the on-pitch monitor to review an incident that could have handed the visitors a last-minute spot-kick when the former Milan AC head coach lost the plot, angrily shouting at Millot. The latter handed Fonseca a red card. The Portuguese head coach then went head against head with Millot and continued to vent his rage. Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso had to step in to separate Fonseca from Millot.

RMC Sport reported that Fonseca now faces a 7-month touchline ban, which means he would miss the remainder of the Ligue 1 campaign as well as the first two months of the following season. L’Equipe now understands that the Portuguese will indeed be suspended for several months as Fonseca’s hearing with Ligue 1’s Disciplinary Committee is scheduled for Wednesday.

Fonseca is expected to repeat his apologies towards Millot and Ligue 1 referees as a whole, but he should not escape a severe punishment with Olympique Lyonnais growing increasingly worried of the situation.  The outlet also adds that Fonseca’s ban could even extend to Lyon’s dressing room and also apply to European competitions, should the French FA take the matter to UEFA and FIFA. Paulo Fonseca is to oversee Lyon’s Europa League RO16 first leg against FCSB on Thursday.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval