´An injustice? Totally´ – Fonseca fumes after Lyon´s late defeat to Marseille

Paulo Fonseca described Lyon’s late defeat to Marseille as an injustice, insisting the better team came out on the wrong side of the result at Stade Velodrome.

Fonseca’s team were beaten 3-2 on Sunday, with two goals in 10 minutes late on from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang completing the turnaround for Marseille.

Lyon had taken the lead in the third minute through Corentin Tolisso, but Igor Paixao restored parity seven minutes into the second half with a fine finish past Dominik Greif.

Remi Himbert put the visitors back in front with 14 minutes left to play, but Aubameyang came up trumps for Marseille, netting the winner in the first minute of stoppage time.

Lyon have now lost each of their last two matches in all competitions (1-3 v Strasbourg, 2-3 tonight), more than in their previous 17 (W15 D1 L1). The defeat leaves them eight points behind second-placed Lens, though Fonseca believed his team were worthy of more than a point.

“No regrets. I have to say that I am here because I have a lot of respect for your work and the people who love football,” Fonseca said. “But I don’t want to be here.

“Because I was sanctioned for nine months without being able to speak. I don’t want to talk. What do I remember?

“It’s that the better team lost, the team that played better today, that created chances. An injustice? Totally.”

“I think the team showed today that they will continue to play well, with courage. We have to continue like this.”

Full-time.

3-2 #OMOL pic.twitter.com/m1tCefrREY

— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL_English) March 1, 2026

Fonseca’s frustration stemmed from Tolisso’s disallowed goal for offside early in the second half, with Paixao’s equaliser coming just after it.

“You have to make this analysis. Because I can’t do it,” Fonseca added.

“I have the impression that you watched another match. That’s why I don’t want to waste time commenting.”

Lyon ended the match with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.2 from their 12 shots, with Marseille coming out on top in that metric with a tally of 2 from their 18 attempts.

Marseille picked up their first league win under new boss Habib Beye, while they also recorded their first triumph in all competitions in a match in which they were behind in the last 10 minutes since 13 November 2022 (3-2 v Monaco in Ligue 1).

Though their late revival was inspired by Aubameyang, who, at 36 years and 256 days, became the oldest goalscorer in a match between Marseille and Lyon in Ligue 1, Beye was quick to give credit to predecessor Roberto De Zerbi, who left the club by mutual consent last month following a 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

“My predecessor put a lot of quality into this team,” Beye told reporters. “We’re not here to deconstruct, we’re here to bring certain elements of methodology, of a game plan that requires a little more verticality, counter-pressing.

“Maybe less control, which means that we are able to release the ball a little more. But the work that has been done before is of high quality. My job is to make sure that this team continues to perform.”

Beye also had special praise for Aubameyang, adding: “Aubameyang, it’s incredible, especially the love he has for the game, the presence he has in front of goal.

“He doesn’t count the efforts. Tonight, we had Amine Gouiri, who was a bit short. Auba stayed for 95 minutes, he gave, he pressed, he defended.

“You also have to talk about this exceptional audience, which gives you an extra soul. I’m very happy for Auba, he deserves it.”