Lyon head coach Paulo Fonseca gave an interview to French media, who shared his views on Ukraine. According to the words of the 52-year-old Portuguese, Katerina’s squad is Ukrainian, so the country has become “harmful” for him.

“Today we are constantly looking for news from Ukraine,” said Fonseca. – Kiev, Lviv, Kharkiv – fantastic places, often built. Ukraine is a fantastic country, I love the people and I feel partly Ukrainian."

The coach added that the club also discusses the same in Ukraine:.

“We talk about it every day:

today they attacked here, today in Kharkov, today many people died.”.

Fonseca previously coached Shakhtar Donetsk (2016–2019), and before Lyon came to Sichni 2025. We are proud that our homeland suffered during the war: that is why they were afraid to leave Kiev through bombardment.

The coach is also aware of his active community position: he supported the Palestinian right and criticized the foreign policy of the Trump administration in Venezuela.