“Shouldn’t have done that”: Because he came too close to the referee, he was probably threatened, Olympique Lyon’s coach Paulo Fonseca could be closed for a long time. That could spoil his birthday.
Then they stood, two men who only connected the color of their outfits. The referee Benoît Millot and Paulo Fonseca, the coach of Lyon, wore black. So they stood opposite each other, nasal tip touched. But only one had come with a peaceful intention.
In the Ligue-1 game between Olympique Lyon and Stade Brest, the stoppage time had already started when referee Millot whistled a penalty against the Fonseca team. The VAR – he asked Millot on the edge of the field, where he should look at the scene again in peace. The pictures convinced Millot, he took back the penalty. But you only learned that later.
When he returned to the field, the coach Fonseca stood in his way. He scolded, he screamed – and he came closer to the referee. For that, Fonseca saw the red card. Corentin Tolisso, formerly under contract with Bayern, now captain of Lyon, pressed his coach away. Maybe he prevented worse. The Portuguese Fonseca, 51, threatens the Portuguese after the 2-1 win of his team.
Referee Millot: “Hard to imagine”
Fonseca have him “intimidate” physically “ want to want the referee Millot of the newspaper “L’Equipe” that he also indicated a blow, “A head kick. Such an aggressive attitude is hardly imaginable with a professional trainer.” Fonseca later apologized to the television station “DAZN”. He said: “I shouldn’t have done that, that’s true.”
Fonseca has been a coach of Olympique Lyon for just over four weeks, which has started three out of five games since then. In the next games, the team will probably have to do without their trainer. Maybe longer.
According to media reports from France, the maximum penalty is seven months in such a case if the disciplinary commission Ligue de Football Professel (LFP) Fonseca’s behavior is considered a threat to the referee. This is not unlikely.
Fonseca certainly had other plans for his birthday
The Fonseca disciplinary commission made up on Wednesday and should explain. As French media report, a judgment is not excluded on the same day. Fonseca certainly had other plans for his 52nd birthday.