Paulo Fonseca, the head coach of Olympique Lyon, was given a severe nine-month suspension for an incident involving referee Benoît Millot during the game against Brest. There has been a tumultuous response to this episode throughout France, with many people wondering if Lyon should keep working with the Portuguese expert.
John Textor, the owner of Lyon, has stated his unwavering support for the coach in spite of the controversy. Even with the owner’s support, it’s still unclear how Fonseca will be able to carry out his responsibilities at Lyon while on suspension, especially during games.
A list of things the coach is allowed and not allowed to do while on ban has been made public by the French magazine RMC Sport.
What Fonseca is allowed to do:
- Conduct training sessions during the week.
- Oversee training processes.
- Participate in press conferences before matches.
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What Fonseca cannot do:
- Participate in the game, sit on the bench, be in the technical area, or be part of the match procedure.
- Take a seat in the stands less than eight rows from the sideline’s last row.
- Engage in “direct or indirect” communication with all parties involved in the match protocol.
- Go to the referees’ locker room.
- Attend news conferences after games.
- Unless the French League (through the French Football Federation) specifically requests it from UEFA, the fines will not impact Lyon’s European games.
- Fonseca will not be allowed to enter his locker room, the tunnel, the pitch, or the hallways that link to these locations until September 15. Additional limitations will be in place until November 30, 2025.
