Lucas Paqueta is accused of match-fixing by the English Football Association. He denies the allegations, but his club West Ham fears the worst.
Accused by the FA of intentionally fixing matches, Lucas Paqueta is in turmoil: the career of the Brazilian international could come to a sudden halt if these accusations are proven true. The player is accused of deliberately getting yellow cards in matches where his associates placed large bets.
« Lucas Paqueta of West Ham United has been charged with misconduct in relation to alleged violations of FA Rules E5 and F3. The player has been charged with four breaches of FA Rule E5.1 concerning his conduct during the club’s Premier League matches against Leicester City on November 12, 2022; Aston Villa on March 12, 2023; Leeds United on May 21, 2023; and AFC Bournemouth on August 12, 2023. It is alleged that he directly sought to influence the outcome, conduct, or any other aspect or event of these matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee in an inappropriate attempt to affect betting so that one or more persons could profit from the bets, » reads the statement from the English football authority.
West Ham Could Lose 100 Million Euros
Paqueta responded directly: « I am extremely surprised and annoyed to see that the FA has decided to charge me. For nine months, I have cooperated at every stage of the investigation and have provided all the information I could. I deny the accusations in their entirety and will fight to clear my name of any suspicion. Due to the ongoing investigation, I will not make any further comments, » he posted on his social media.
According to The Guardian, West Ham fears this could quickly mark the end of Lucas Paqueta’s career. This is an economic disaster for the Hammers: the club hoped Manchester City would pay 100 million euros to recruit him. The player was also rumored to be a target for PSG. But with these accusations… it’s already over.