Lyon are third in Ligue 1 and targeting a top-four finish, but Paulo Fonseca’s departure for Sporting CP leaves them in uncertainty.
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Fonseca’s exit puts Lyon’s Champions League hopes at risk
Paulo Fonseca took charge of Lyon at the end of January 2025 and guided them to sixth place in Ligue 1. That was enough to secure a spot in the Europa League.
The Portuguese coach then received a lengthy touchline ban in March after a confrontation with referee Benoit Milot, but Lyon stuck by their man. He steered the club to fourth in his first and only full season in charge, earning a place in the Champions League qualifiers.
During the 2025-26 season, Fonseca led Lyon to the top of the Europa League table after winning seven of their eight games. After a strong start to the current season, there weren’t any signs that he was unhappy and prepared to depart.
However, the opportunity to manage Sporting CP proved too tempting to turn down. This has left Lyon searching for a new manager less than a third of the way through the campaign.
Jorge Maciel will lead the team on an interim basis once again in the very short term while Lyon secure a permanent replacement. Former Manchester City assistant Carlos Vicens appears to be the favorite to land the job. Thiago Motta and Pierre Sage have also been linked with the vacancy by the French media.
Next up for Lyon is a trip to Brest. Les Gones have struggled on the road this season. After the international window, they face another difficult away game against Lille, which could be the new permanent manager’s first game in charge.
Expectations remain unchanged for Lyon. The board wants an ambitious appointment who can help them qualify for the Champions League, but the situation is far from ideal.
Lyon’s away form raises questions for Fonseca’s successor
Although Lyon are slight favorites for the trip to Brest, their poor away form and the presence of an interim manager could make for a tight contest. Lyon have won just two of their last 10 away games in Ligue 1, scoring an average of 0.9 goals per game. That run of games produced an average of 2.2 goals from both sides.
Lyon have won just one of their four away games in Ligue 1 this season, scoring an average of 0.75 goals per away game. Only Lorient and Troyes (with two goals apiece) scored fewer goals away from home this season than Lyon’s three.
Last season’s corresponding clash with Brest finished scoreless, with Lyon recording an xG (expected goals) of 0.2. Currently, Lyon’s defense is second only to Lille, as they conceded seven goals in nine league games.
They’ve allowed their opponents to convert just 6.48% of their shots to goals, the second lowest in the division. As the interim boss, Maciel may not make radical changes, which is why we can expect Lyon to be defensively solid here.
After the international window, Les Dogues travel to Lille, who are only a point better off before Matchday 10. By then, the club will hopefully have appointed a permanent manager, giving the new boss the chance to take charge of his first game.
Fonseca didn’t leave a team struggling for results. Lyon already have enough quality in their ranks to produce a positive result. The new manager could take them up a level, which is why Lyon look capable of pulling off an upset at Lille.
Recent history supports this view. Lyon are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Lille, winning six, including both 1-0 victories last season. They won the corresponding fixture despite recording a lower xG than Lille (0.52 to 1.47), showing they know how to grind out results against this opposition.