According to reports, Portuguese head coach of Lyon, Paulo Fonseca, sees no reason to request a postponement of his team’s match against Auxerre, scheduled for tomorrow. He also stated that Thursday’s match against Manchester United is more important to him than anything else this season.

Last Thursday, Fonseca managed to hold Manchester United to a 2-2 draw in Lyon. He now awaits the continuation of his duel with compatriot Rubén Amorim, which is set to take place at Old Trafford this weekend.

Fonseca’s remarks about prioritizing the match against United and advancing in the Europa League over domestic league matches are surprising. Lyon is currently in a fierce battle to secure a Champions League qualification spot in Ligue 1.

His team is currently seventh with 48 points, just four points behind third-placed Marseille. If Fonseca’s team can defeat Auxerre tomorrow, they will temporarily move into fourth place behind Lille, keeping their Champions League hopes alive.

Fonseca’s frustration seems to stem from his suspension from sitting on the bench in Ligue 1 matches. He recently spoke about this suspension again, saying: “I hope my suspension will be reduced with new explanations I plan to provide because this is very unfair. I’m waiting for some justice. We’ll see. But we’re doing everything we can. Accepting this situation is getting harder for me every day. My suspension should be reduced. I want to go to the dressing room and sit on the bench. This is very important.”