Paulo Fonseca confirms future on Lyon bench
Paulo Fonseca confirms future on Lyon bench When he took charge of Olympique Lyonnais a year and a half ago, Paulo Fonseca had to get back on track following the failure of his spell at AC Milan. Having finished sixth in Ligue 1 and reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League last season, the Portuguese manager concluded his second campaign at the helm of the Rhône-based club with a fourth-place finish in the league, securing qualification for the Champions League preliminary rounds. An overall positive record for the 53-year-old coach, whose time at OL has not been without difficulties, notably including a nine-month suspension (between March and December 2025) following his outburst at a French referee.
But whilst Fonseca’s contract runs until June 2027, questions about his long-term future on the Lyon bench have recently resurfaced, as he has yet to sign any extension. A situation about which the Portuguese manager says he is “not concerned” , however. “I have a year left.
I’m not concerned about this situation. We have time. I’m staying,” he announced in an interview with L’Équipe .
“I can’t forget what the club did for me during my nine-month suspension. It would have been hard to have received more support. I think Lyon are a great club, with occasional difficulties.
I have ambitions for OL. First and foremost, to be more competitive next season. We can achieve that.