Paulo Fonseca bristles after Lyon’s Champions League exit

Paulo Fonseca’s frustration has become the immediate story around Lyon after the club’s Champions League campaign ended at the qualifying-playoff stage. The Portuguese coach reacted sharply when asked about substitutions made late in the second leg, a question that followed another failure by the French side in a decisive European match.

Lyon were beaten 2-1 by Fenerbahce on Wednesday night in the return leg, ending their hopes of reaching this season’s Champions League. The result leaves the Rhone club with Ligue 1 and the Europa League as its remaining competitions. Lyon’s next Europa League opponents are due to be known on Thursday.

Fonseca said the question about his changes was one he heard repeatedly and suggested that judging those decisions after the final whistle was easy. His irritation then sharpened into sarcasm: he implied that his handling of substitutions might explain why he is viewed as a poor coach. The response captured his anger at an elimination that denied Lyon a significant opportunity this season. The outcome turned that opportunity into another setback at a key point in the club’s season.