The Football Association of England accuses Lucas Paqueta of deliberate yellow cards
The Football Association of England has accused West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta of four deliberate attempts to receive yellow cards, which were associated with bets on these bookings.
The accusations were made following Paqueta’s bookings in four matches:
1. West Ham — Leicester 0:2 (November 12, 2022) — Paqueta received a yellow card for a foul on Boubakari Soumare.
2. West Ham — Aston Villa — 1:1 (March 12, 2023) — Paqueta was sent off for a challenge on John McGinn.
3. West Ham — Leeds 3:1 (May 21, 2023) — Paqueta tripped Krystian Bielik during a counterattack.
4. Bournemouth — West Ham 1:1 (August 12, 2023) — Paqueta kicked the ball away in stoppage time.
The number of yellow cards received by Paqueta coincided with an unusually high number of bets on these bookings in specific matches.
The bets were small, placed by 60 individuals ranging from £7 to £400, with a total win of £100,000. However, the FA is demanding a lifetime ban for Paqueta from football.
Paqueta’s summer transfer prediction to Manchester City is no longer being considered due to the investigation into the bets.
