It is a matter that begins to hang out, but which should soon make his verdict. In the summer of 2023, Lucas Paqueta thought he was living his dream by joining Manchester City. Pep Guardiola had made him the successor to İlkay Gündoğan. But while we were talking about a possible agreement around 100 million euros, the deal fell into the water when the FA announced to open an investigation against the old Lyonnais for a large cheating in terms of sports betting. He would have received several suspect yellow cards. Several other elements had put the chip in the ear of the English federation at the time, such as the unusual number of Paris on the Betway site (sponsor jersey of West Ham) and the fact that relatives of the player put the maximum sum on a yellow card of the Brazilian.
Since then, the player has always proclaimed his innocence and had ended up getting silence a few months ago denouncing the flight of false information about it, in particular on a new sports betting in Brazil, this time. “FA procedures are supposed to be confidential, and they are extremely serious for me and my family. The continuous flight and the publication of inaccurate information in the press now jeopardize my chance of receiving a fair trial. So I asked my lawyers to write to the FA to ask him to conduct an in -depth investigation into the way in which the information, even inaccurate, on the case, is made public. I continue to deny the charges against me and I can't wait to prove my innocence. ” To prove his good faith in this case, the Brazilian had authorized justice to search his phone. But his defense did not convince. And for good reason, he would have hidden evidence for investigators.
West Ham believes that PAQUETA will not be innocent
The English press revealed that Lucas Paqueta had bought a second phone when her first phone was seized. Problem, when he recovered his first phone, he decided to throw it away, preventing the FA from grasping it again to check other elements. The Esteem since Pacqueta hampered the smooth running of the investigation and it is also accused of two aggravated violations for non-cooperation. This week, Sky Sports has thus revealed that it potentially risks a life suspension if the FA decides to claim an international sanction. In any case, it will re-examine the case this month and pessimism is on the side of West Ham.
The English club thinks that the chances are close to zero, the fault of a fairly blatant lack of evidence that would come to exonerate Lucas Paqueta. The reason? This case will be judged as in English civil law. That is to say, the FA must only prove that it is more likely that Pacouta has engaged in sports bettings than the reverse. Unlike criminal trials, the panel only needs to vote 51% in favor of the guilt of the Brazilian to achieve this verdict. The player's trial is expected to last three weeks. If he is found guilty, what the Hammers think, so he could be suspended for life. But he will still be able to appeal before the heap to lighten the sanction. The future of Lucas Paqueta is more than ever uncertain.
