Paulo Fonseca Faces Potential Seven-Month Ban After Headbutt Threat to Referee

Paulo Fonseca's temper may cost him dearly. The Olympique Lyon manager was involved in a serious incident on Sunday during his team's 2-1 victory over Brest. In added time, following a VAR review, the Portuguese coach lost his composure, confronted referee Benoît Millot, and threatened to headbutt him, which could result in a ban of up to seven months.

Lyon was on the verge of securing their third victory under Fonseca, having overturned Brest's initial goal with a brace from Lacazette. However, in the 94th minute, VAR alerted referee Benoît Millot to review a potential handball in the area. At that moment, Fonseca erupted. Already cautioned in the first half, he furiously approached the referee to protest the review. Millot, without hesitation, showed him the red card.

Far from calming down, the Portuguese coach completely lost his temper. He confronted the referee, moved close to his face, and threatened to headbutt him. The tension was at its peak, and he had to be restrained by his coaching staff and several Lyon players. Despite this, he continued to berate the referee while heading towards the tunnel. Ultimately, the referee decided not to penalise the handball, and Olympique Lyon won 2-1 against Brest.

The French Professional Football League (LFP) regulations are very clear regarding such behaviour. According to L'Équipe, the coach could face a ban of up to seven months. Similar cases in the past, such as that of Nabil Dirar, were punished with eight-match bans, suggesting an exemplary punishment for Fonseca.

After the match, the Portuguese coach attempted to defuse the situation with statements at a press conference: "I apologise for this gesture, I shouldn't have done it, but sometimes football leads us to incorrect reactions."