West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta has apologized following his red card during Sunday’s match against Liverpool, attributing the incident to the stress of a lengthy inquiry into alleged betting breaches. The sending off will rule Paqueta out of West Ham’s Thursday trip to Manchester United.The Football Association began investigating Paqueta in August 2023, charging him in May 2024 wiht receiving deliberate yellow cards “for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market.” A guilty verdict could have resulted in a lifetime ban from football.
However, a regulatory commission ultimately found the four charges “not proven” in July. Paqueta was reprimanded and warned regarding his future conduct due to non-compliance with the investigation.
West ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo revealed Paqueta is struggling with the fallout from the investigation. “He is not OK. He is suffering, he is disappointed and upset. But he realises the mistake that he made and he is willing to move forward,” Nuno said. “Sometiems people are not aware of the problems that football players endure. But I think [he] is going to overcome this situation.”
paqueta himself stated, “I’m sorry if I’m not perfect.” He also criticized the FA for a perceived lack of psychological support during the investigation.
The red card marked Paqueta’s return to action after serving a one-match suspension for accumulating five yellow cards in the league, causing him to miss West Ham’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Nuno confirmed Paqueta will be available for selection against Brighton on Sunday and affirmed the player’s commitment to the club despite ongoing transfer rumors,stating Paqueta is “definitely” happy at West Ham.
