Paulo Fonseca's departure from Olympique Lyonnais for Sporting CP has angered Cris. The 49-year-old former Olympique Lyonnais defender and club icon strongly criticized the Portuguese coach's mid-season exit in an interview with L'Équipe, especially as the team was performing well at the time.
"This was really disrespectful to Olympique Lyonnais," said the Brazilian, who was particularly disappointed by the decision. He believes Fonseca should have shown more gratitude to the club that supported him through difficult times. "When Paulo was suspended for nine months, the club always stood behind him, protected him, and did everything it should have," he recalled.
Cris understands the coach's attachment to Sporting CP, his boyhood club, but he believes that is no reason for such a sudden departure. "I know it's his club, and he dreams of coaching Sporting CP, okay, I understand, but what about the way he went about it?" he asked.
The former Brazil international is also concerned that the split will affect Olympique Lyonnais's performances for the rest of the season. "I'm thinking of the management, the players, the coaching staff, the fans... An event like this can be unsettling," he warned, adding that leaving during the winter break would have had less impact.
Despite his disappointment, Cris praised Olympique Lyonnais's management for choosing not to keep a coach whose mind was already elsewhere. "They said they didn't want to keep a coach whose heart was no longer with Olympique Lyonnais, and I think that's perfectly normal," he explained. The four-time Ligue 1 champion also backed the club's demand for compensation for letting Fonseca go. "The club is right to ask for money, because this has a cost. I think the management made the right decision," he concluded.