Lyon boss Fonseca at risk of 7-month suspension following altercation with referee [video] | OneFootball

Paulo Fonseca dominated the headlines in French football on Sunday evening, after a heated confrontation with referee Benoît Millot during Lyon’s 2-1 victory over Brest.

Former Porto boss Fonseca was issued a red card as the official headed to the VAR monitor to consider a late penalty for the visitors, after which Fonseca aggressively went head-to-head with Millot on the touchline.

Lyon came from behind on the night to win 2-1, with veteran striker Alexandre Lacazette bagging a brace. When VAR instructed Millot to assess a Brest penalty shout for handball deep into injury time, many would have anticipated the away side being awarded a spot-kick to potentially level the game.

Fonseca’s irate reaction to the notion of a VAR check ultimately led to his removal and uncharacteristically aggressive demeanour, but the penalty appeal was waved away in favour of an offside call. Fonseca has endured a mixed start to life as Lyon coach, with three victories and two defeats (against top 2 in the table Marseille and PSG) from his five matches in charge.

The Portuguese apologised for his actions after the match and has issued a public statement towards the officiating team. “First of all, I would like to present my most sincere apologies to referee Benoît Millot and his team for my behaviour on Sunday,” Fonseca said. “I take full responsibility for my mistake without wanting to invent any excuse for this thoughtless gesture.

“I regret having had an attitude contrary to what my principles of life are. I assure you that despite the aggressiveness with which I spoke to Mr. Millot, there was never any other intention than to wrongly express my discontent. I would also like to apologise to the referees' committee and to Ligue 1."

Fonseca has also offered to perform community service in the form of meetings with amateur refereeing associations in the Lyon region in the coming weeks, an initiative his club is thought to support in a bid to repair relations with officials.

Lyon are expected to fine their manager, but the punishment from Ligue 1’s Disciplinary Committee is likely to be severe. According to RMC Sports, Fonseca’s offence falls under a category for which a 7-months suspension is advised. It remains to be seen whether the Lyon boss will receive any leniency for his immediate apology.