Will he play for Brazil in Copa America?

West Ham have been grappling with a serious crisis involving their star midfielder, Lucas Paqueta of Brazil.

The Brazilian faces allegations from the Football Association (FA) regarding breaches of betting regulations. If found guilty, his career could be in jeopardy, with a potential ten-year suspension looming over him.

The FA’s investigation centers on accusations that the 26-year-old intentionally received yellow cards in several matches during 2022 and 2023. These include clashes against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Bournemouth.

The FA’s statement alleges that the Brazilian international sought to “influence the progress, conduct, or any other aspect of, or occurrence in these matches”. That he purposely wanted a referee card to manipulate the betting market to benefit from the booking.

What did Paqueta say about his Brazil chances?

Paqueta has publicly addressed the situation, maintaining his innocence and expressing his determination to clear his name. “This will be the first and only time I will speak about this matter,” he said. “My lawyers have advised me not to comment on the matter. What I can say is that I continue to do my best, cooperating. My lawyers defend me so that everything is clarified in the end. The decision made me sad but we will do everything to change this decision and cooperate.”

A meeting with the FA was postponed due to the absence of the player’s legal team. Consequently, the resolution of this matter won’t arrive before the close of the transfer window.

Despite the allegations, Paqueta will represent Brazil in the upcoming Copa America. He has until Monday to answer the FA’s charges.

His steadfast denial of the allegations comes amidst West Ham’s unwavering support for him. Even though the scandal has already disrupted his proposed $108 million transfer to Manchester City.

What did the Brazilian FA say?

Following the initial investigation, the midfielder…

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Author : Martina Alcheva

Publish date : 2024-06-01 14:02:20

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