Lucas Paquetá’s countermeasures against the Football Association are completely understandable.
Over the past two weeks, there has been a notable change in the language used in reporting the Brazilian’s investigation into his alleged betting irregularities cantered around yellow cards in West Ham games.
Just last week, it was widely reported that the FA was not only planning to issue two more charges to Paquetá’s record but also pushing for a lifetime ban for the player.
Whilst no quotes were attributed to any individuals, there appeared to be a significant flow of details and information into the public domain.
Therefore, it’s difficult to blame Paquetá’s legal team for seeking answers from the FA regarding who leaked the nuances of a case that should remain confidential. West Ham’s record signing has gone a step further by suggesting that the reports and details of the case are inaccurate, even hinting that the news stories were leaked to “undermine his position.”
If true, it would seem to put the FA in a difficult position, prompting the question of who leaked reports of a second attempt to obtain Paquetá’s mobile phone and who informed the press about the two additional charges?
Paquetá’s frustrations are understandable. It’s challenging enough to fight an investigation without having to deflect a media campaign that seemingly undermines his position.
