Fonseca leaves Lyon for Sporting in €5m managerial switch
by Moronfolu Adeyemi · The Eagle OnlineSporting have appointed Paulo Fonseca as their new head coach following his sudden departure from Lyon, with the French club expressing disappointment over the timing of the Portuguese manager’s exit.
Fonseca’s appointment brings his 18-month spell at Lyon to an end as he returns to his homeland to take charge of the Lisbon-based club.
Sporting secured his services after agreeing to pay Lyon €5m in compensation, allowing the 53-year-old to replace Rui Borges.
The Portuguese club had announced on Sunday that it had initiated discussions to terminate Borges’ contract, paving the way for Fonseca’s appointment.
However, the manager’s departure has attracted criticism from Lyon, who said they were unhappy with the circumstances surrounding his decision to leave midway through the season.
In an official statement, the French club said they “deeply regret” Fonseca’s “unexpected decision”, particularly because of “its timing in the middle of the season”.
Fonseca joins Sporting with the club well positioned in their domestic and European campaigns.
They currently occupy third place in the Liga Portugal standings and are sixth in the Champions League table with nine points.
The former Lyon manager will be expected to maintain the club’s strong position as they pursue major honours across both competitions.
Meanwhile, Lyon are also third in Ligue 1 and occupy 12th position in the Europa League standings following Fonseca’s departure.
The French club have moved quickly to address the vacancy, appointing Jorge Maciel, who previously worked as Fonseca’s assistant, to take temporary charge of the first team.
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Maciel will oversee the squad while the club begins the search for a permanent replacement.
Fonseca’s immediate task will be to settle into his new role at Sporting and guide the club through the remainder of the campaign.
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