"Of course I was disappointed, but I can understand him," Corentin Tolisso said after Lyon's 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad in the UEFA Europa League league phase. The captain said Paulo Fonseca leaving hit hardest because of the timing, even if he could understand why the coach made the call.
The timing that bothered Lyon’s captain
Fonseca’s departure was officially confirmed on Wednesday morning, and Tolisso said the part that disappointed him most was how it happened after Lyon had built something with the coach. He pointed to the emotional hug he shared with Fonseca after the 2-0 win over Angers the previous Sunday, a sign of how close the group felt to the Portuguese coach.
Tolisso was clear that he valued Fonseca highly and wanted him to stay. He described him as an exceptional coach, then drew a line under the emotion by saying Lyon cannot stay stuck in it.
Lyon’s focus after the shock
That is where the captain’s message turned practical. Tolisso said the club, not any individual, has to come first, and that Lyon must move forward regardless of who is in charge. Matthieu Louis-Jean called the exit a shock too, and said Lyon had wanted to finish the season with Fonseca.
The results give the club little room to drift. Lyon drew 1-1 with Real Sociedad and sit 13th in the Europa League league phase with 7 points from 4 matches. Tolisso was one of Lyon’s sharper performers on the night, finishing with a 7.93 rating in 90 minutes, while his Europa League average this season stands at 7.2.
Carlos Vicens, formerly of Sporting CP, is expected to take over after the competitive break, so the immediate task is not to relive Fonseca’s departure but to keep the level from dropping before that switch happens.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
