Paulo Fonseca has replaced Pierre Sage as Lyon head coach, the Ligue 1 side has announced.
Club Announcement
Olympique Lyonnais is very pleased to announce the appointment of Paulo Fonseca as head coach of the professional team until June 30, 2027.
This choice, taken unanimously by John Textor and the entire sports management, is part of the desire to give Olympique Lyonnais a strong ambition, both on the national and European scene.
An experienced 51-year-old coach, Paulo Fonseca has built a solid reputation in Europe thanks to his many successes and his demanding tactical approach. After winning the Portuguese Super Cup with FC Porto in 2013 and the Portuguese Cup with Braga in 2016, the Portuguese coach enjoyed a successful period at Shakhtar Donetsk where he won three Cup-Championship doubles (2017, 2018, 2019) and a Ukrainian Super Cup in 2017.
Paulo Fonseca then took the reins at AS Roma between 2019 and 2021 before joining LOSC in June 2022. During his two seasons at Lille, he distinguished himself with an attacking and spectacular style of play, unanimously hailed as one of the most attractive in L1. More recently, he officiated at AC Milan where he continued his development at the highest European level.
Paulo Fonseca will be accompanied in his role by an experienced staff, composed of Paulo Ferreira (assistant coach), Antonio Ferreira (goalkeeping coach), Paulo Mourao (fitness coach), Nelson Duarte (video analyst) as well as Jorge Maciel and Damien Della Santa, already present this season.
Paulo Fonseca and his staff will be tasked with starting a new cycle and leading the club to the highest level during this second half of the season and achieving the main objective of participating in the Champions League next season.
Paulo Fonseca becomes the 34th coach in the history of Olympique Lyonnais and will lead his first match this Sunday in Marseille, on the occasion of the 20th day of L1
The Portuguese manager is officially back in Ligue 1 only months after leaving the French top-tier upon the expiry of his Lille contract last summer. Fonseca spent two seasons with Les Dogues and made them a consistent Ligue 1 side that is now thriving in the Champions League under the tutelage of Bruno Genesio. Fonseca was a free agent after an ill-fated stint as AC Milan manager. The 51-year-old has been dismissed by the Rossoneri in late December.
Fonseca has put pen to paper over a two-and-a-half-year deal with Lyon. The Portuguese manager will be tasked to achieve Lyon owner John Textor’s ambitious goals for the remainder of the season. The American businessman wants Les Gones to win the Europa League and finish in Ligue 1’s top four places. Fonseca will make his Lyon debut this Sunday as OL face their bitter “Olympique” rivals Marseille at the Vélodrome.
