Former AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca has been named the new head coach of Ligue 1 side Lyon, following the departure of Pierre Sage. The 51-year-old, a former Portugal international, has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract and will be tasked with leading Lyon, currently in sixth place, to a spot in next season’s Champions League.

Fonseca, who watched Lyon's 1-1 draw against Bulgaria's Ludogorets in the Europa League on Thursday alongside club owner John Textor, saw his new team secure a place in the competition’s last 16.

Sage, who was appointed in November 2023, arrived at a club struggling at the bottom of the Ligue 1 table. He managed to turn things around, guiding Lyon to European qualification and a French Cup final, though they were defeated by Paris Saint-Germain. Despite his successes, a recent poor run of five winless matches, including an embarrassing exit from the French Cup to fifth-division Bourgoin-Jallieu, led to his dismissal.

Fonseca, who was let go by AC Milan in late December, brings with him valuable experience, including a successful two-year stint at Ligue 1’s Lille. However, he faces the challenge of winning over Lyon's supporters, many of whom were fond of Sage and upset by his departure.

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