News Focus
- Paulo Fonseca confirms he will stay at Olympique Lyonnais despite entering the final year of his contract
- The Portuguese manager joined the French club eighteen months ago after leaving AC Milan
- Lyon finished fourth in Ligue 1 this season and qualified for the Champions League preliminary rounds
- Fonseca served a nine-month suspension this year following an incident with a referee
- He praises the club for supporting him during his ban and wants to make the team more competitive next season
Paulo Fonseca joined Olympique Lyonnais eighteen months ago. He wanted to rebuild his career after a difficult spell at AC Milan. The Portuguese manager has now confirmed he will remain at the French club.
Last season, Fonseca guided Lyon to sixth place in Ligue 1. The team also reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League. This season, they improved to finish fourth in the league table. This result secures a spot in the Champions League preliminary rounds for the Rhône-based club.
The fifty-three-year-old coach has faced challenges during his time at the club. He received a nine-month suspension between March and December 2025. The ban followed an outburst directed at a French referee. Despite this problem, Fonseca has achieved positive results overall.
His current contract runs until June 2027. However, he has not signed an extension yet. This situation has raised questions about his long-term future at the club. Speaking to L’Équipe, Fonseca said he is not worried. “I have one year left on my deal. I am not concerned. We have time. I am staying,” he stated.
The manager expressed deep gratitude towards the club. He praised their support during his nine-month ban. “I cannot forget what this club did for me. They gave me incredible backing during my suspension. It would be hard to find more support anywhere else,” he explained.
Fonseca believes Lyon is a great club. He admits they sometimes face difficulties. He has ambitious plans for the next campaign. “My main goal is to make us more competitive next season. I think we can achieve this,” he added. These comments should give fans peace of mind about their manager’s commitment.