Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca has been suspended for nine months by the French Professional Football League (FLP), following his confrontation with referee Benoit Millot during his team’s recent 2-1 Ligue 1 victory over Brest.

The FLP said in a statement on Wednesday that Fonseca will be barred from accessing the bench, the officials’ dressing- rooms, and participating in any official functions before, during, or after matches until Nov. 30.

Fonseca was sent off deep into stoppage time for angrily reacting to a potential Brest penalty.

After being red-carded, an irate Fonseca then confronted Millot and leaned in very close to his face before being pushed away by Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso. Fonseca tried to confront the referee a second time and was restrained by a couple of Lyon players.

Lyon said they were concerned by the severity and rapid sanction imposed on Fonseca.

They criticised the decision, saying that the manager was not judged solely on his actions, which they described as an emotional reaction without intent to harm the referee.

“In light of a sanction that seems to have been dictated by the negative context affecting French refereeing, [Lyon] announced that it is studying all possible avenues of appeal,” the Ligue 1 club said in a statement.

The Portuguese coach apologised after the incident.

“I just want to say that I’m sorry for what I did. I should not do it,” Fonseca told broadcaster DAZN. “Maybe we do things that are not right. I’m sorry.”

The handball decision itself then went to VAR and a penalty was not given.

Millot said Fonseca’s behavior was unacceptable.

“He rushed toward me with an intimidating attitude and I decided to send him off directly,” he told sports daily L’Équipe. “There was, it seems, a slight contact with the nose. [It was] a particularly intimidating, aggressive attitude, which one can hardly imagine from a professional coach.”

The French referees’ union said last week its members would exercise their right to resign if they or their families were in danger after a match official faced an “outpouring of hatred” following comments made by Marseille president Pablo Longoria.

Information from Reuters contributed to this report.