Former AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca is the new head coach of Ligue 1 club Lyon. The 51-year-old, who is also a former Portugal international, signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the French club on Friday, January 31, 2025.
Fonseca takes over from Pierre Sage, who left his position after a tough month for the team. Lyon is currently in sixth place in Ligue 1, and Fonseca’s main goal will be to lead them to Champions League qualification.
Before officially starting his new role, Fonseca got to know the team better by watching Lyon’s Europa League match against Ludogorets on Thursday.
He sat in the stands with the club’s American owner, John Textor, as Lyon played to a 1-1 draw. This result secured Lyon’s place in the last 16 of the Europa League.
Pierre Sage had done well during his time at Lyon. When he joined the team in November 2023, Lyon was near the bottom of the league.
Under Sage, Lyon bounced back, qualifying for Europe and reaching the French Cup final, although they lost to Paris Saint-Germain.
However, a five-game winless streak this month, including a shock exit from the French Cup against a fifth-division team, led to his departure.
Now, Fonseca is tasked with winning over the Lyon fans, who had grown attached to Sage and were disappointed by his exit.
Fonseca, who has previous experience in Ligue 1 with Lille, faces the challenge of continuing Lyon’s strong performances and pushing them toward European competition.
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