Paulo Fonseca has left his position as head coach of Olympique Lyonnais to take charge of Sporting CP, with the Ligue 1 club describing the departure as "unexpected" and occurring mid-season.
The Portuguese manager's exit comes during the 2026-27 campaign, leaving Lyon to search for a replacement while they compete in both domestic and European competitions. Fonseca had been in charge of the French side since the start of the season.
Sporting CP, one of Portugal's traditional "Big Three" clubs alongside Benfica and Porto, have appointed Fonseca as their new head coach. The move represents a return to his home country for the 53-year-old manager, who previously coached Portuguese sides including Paços de Ferreira, Porto, and Braga before moving abroad to manage Shakhtar Donetsk, Roma, and Lille.
Lyon's statement emphasized the sudden nature of the departure, suggesting the club was not anticipating losing their manager at this stage of the season. The French side currently sits in the UEFA Europa League league phase and will need to stabilize quickly under new leadership.
