Incident Overview

Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca is facing a potential 7-month ban after a heated confrontation with referee Benoît Millot during a Ligue 1 match against Brest on Sunday. The incident occurred when Fonseca was sent off deep into stoppage time for angrily reacting to a potential Brest penalty.

After being red-carded, an irate Fonseca confronted referee Millot, leaning in close to his face before being pushed away by Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso. Fonseca attempted to confront the referee a second time but was restrained by several Lyon players.

The Portuguese coach apologized for his actions after the match, stating, 'I just want to say that I'm sorry for what I did. I should not do it. Maybe we do things that are not right. I'm sorry.'

Referee's Account

Referee Millot described Fonseca's behavior as 'unacceptable,' stating, 'He rushed toward me with an intimidating attitude, and I decided to send him off directly. There was, it seems, a slight contact with the nose. [It was] a particularly intimidating, aggressive attitude, which one can hardly imagine from a professional coach.'

The handball decision that sparked the incident was reviewed by VAR, and a penalty was not given. The incident has sparked debate about the lack of respect shown to match officials in France, with Marseille president Pablo Longoria recently accusing French referees of 'true corruption' following a defeat, for which he received a 15-match ban.