Olympique Lyon have confirmed the appointment of Paulo Fonseca as the new head coach on a two-and-half-year deal, Afrosport reports.
Fonseca replaces Pierre Sage, who was fired despite leading the club out of a crisis last season and having the team within reach of a Champions League place in this campaign.
Sage’s dismissal on Tuesday followed a 1-1 draw with Nantes in Ligue 1 last weekend which left many observers perplexed as he had rapidly become a fans’ favourite.
Fonseca’s first match in charge will be against Marseille in the Derby des Olympique on Sunday.
“Olympique Lyonnais are delighted to announce the appointment of Paulo Fonseca as head coach of the men’s professional team until 30 June 2027,” read a statement on the club website.
“The decision to appoint Paulo Fonseca was taken unanimously by John Textor and the entire sporting management team, as part of a drive to restore Olympique Lyonnais’ ambition on both the domestic and European stage.”
🚨 @PFonsecaCoach is our new coach! 🔴🔵
Welcome, Paulo! 🤝 pic.twitter.com/oQGR6goxAl
— Olympique Lyonnais 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@OL_English) January 31, 2025
The Portuguese previously coached FC Porto, Braga, Shakhtar Donetsk, AS Roma, Lille and most recently AC Milan, winning a total of nine titles in spells with Porto, Braga and Shakhtar.
He will be supported by a backroom staff that comprises Paulo Ferreira (assistant coach), Antonio Ferreira (goalkeeping coach), Paulo Mourao (physical trainer) and Nelson Duarte (video analyst), as well as Jorge Maciel and Damien Della Santa.
