Guardiola's ex-assistant Carlos Vicens appointed Lyon coach

Lyon has appointed Carlos Vicens, former assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, as their new coach on an 18-month contract. Vicens, 43, replaces Paulo Fonseca who left for Sporting Lisbon. Fonseca's assistant, Jorge Maciel, had taken over on an interim basis, leading the team to a win over Crystal Palace in the Europa League and a loss to Brest in Ligue 1.

Vicens' coaching career began in Spanish lower divisions at 27 and included a stint in England with Manchester City, where he rose through the youth ranks and eventually joined Guardiola's first-team coaching staff. He managed Braga from 2021 to 2025, guiding them to a fourth-place finish in the Portuguese league and reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League before his dismissal in October.

Vicens joins Lyon with four assistants and is contracted until June 30, 2028. His first session with the team is scheduled for Tuesday, with his debut match against Lille on November 21 following the international break. Lyon currently sits fifth in Ligue 1, five points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain, having won five of their ten games so far.