Lyon head coach Paulo Fonseca has confirmed that Brazilian striker Endrick will make his debut for the club this Sunday (11) against Lille in the French Cup.
On loan from Real Madrid until June 30, the 19-year-old forward is set to play his first minutes in a Lyon shirt as he looks to establish himself in Europe and attract the attention of national team coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Paulo Fonseca Confirms Endrick Will Play
Speaking at a press conference on Friday (9), Fonseca revealed that Endrick is fit and ready to feature, although he is unlikely to complete the full 90 minutes.
“I think Endrick can’t play 90 minutes, but he will play some minutes. I can’t say if he will be a starter or not, but he should play. Physically, he is in shape and has participated in all the training sessions,” Fonseca said.
The French Cup match against Lille will kick off at 8:00 pm (UK time) and marks Endrick’s first competitive appearance since mid-December.
Endrick’s Last Match Before Joining Lyon
Endrick has not played since December 17, when he made his first start of the season for Real Madrid in a 3–2 victory over Talavera in the Copa del Rey, under head coach Xabi Alonso.
The loan move to Lyon is seen as an opportunity for the young striker to gain consistent minutes at senior level.
Lyon Coach Urges Patience With Young Brazilian
Fonseca also emphasized the need for patience, reminding fans and media that Endrick is still adapting to a new country and style of football.
“We can’t forget that he’s a very young player, arriving in a new league, very different from the one he knows in Spain. He needs an adaptation period to understand the team’s style of play and how his teammates play,” the coach explained.
The Portuguese manager highlighted that their shared language has helped communication and integration.
“He’s integrating well into training and starting to adapt to what we want to do offensively and defensively. That’s very positive,” Fonseca added.
🗨 « Je ne sais pas si @Endrick va commencer ou non, mais il devrait jouer. »
🎙 Avant d’affronter le LOSC, notre coach Paulo Fonseca se projette sur ce match durant lequel notre attaquant brésilien pourrait disputer ses premières minutes avec l’OL 🔴🔵#LOSCOL pic.twitter.com/cql7LvdgCK
— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) January 9, 2026
