West Ham United reportedly expect Lucas Paquetá to lose his fight against spot-fixing allegations, with the Brazilian midfielder potentially facing a lifetime ban from football.
The Case Against Paquetá
According to The Daily Mail, the Football Association (FA) is building its case using the civil law standard of proof—the “balance of probabilities”—rather than the stricter criminal standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt.” This means the FA only needs to prove that it is more likely than not (51%) that Paquetá intentionally sought yellow cards to manipulate betting markets.
West Ham insiders have slammed the process as “savage” and “very wrong,” arguing that a player’s career could be destroyed based on such a marginal probability.
FA’s Allegations & The Matches Involved
The FA formally charged Paquetá with misconduct in May 2024, alleging that he deliberately received yellow cards in four separate Premier League matches to benefit betting syndicates. These games include:
- Leicester City (Nov 2022)
- Aston Villa (March 2023)
- Leeds United (May 2023)
- Bournemouth (Aug 2023)
West Ham’s Support & Paquetá’s Response
Despite the serious charges, West Ham continue to back Paquetá, determined to clear his name. The 27-year-old has also strongly denied any wrongdoing and remains focused on proving his innocence.
Legal proceedings are expected to begin this month, lasting up to three weeks. However, Paquetá will be allowed to continue playing while the hearings take place.
Paquetá’s Current Status & Injury Update
Paquetá has been absent from West Ham’s squad since their loss to Brentford due to an ankle injury. It remains unclear if he will be fit to face Newcastle United on Monday.
The outcome of this case could have massive implications for Paquetá’s career, with a lifetime ban being the harshest possible sanction.
