Paquetá faces 'biggest game of his life' as spot-fixing trial begins

West Ham midfielder could be given lifetime ban if he is found guilty of the charges by an independent panel

- Matt Hughes

In a season dominated by the Premier League's legal battles, the Football Association is about to get in on the act. Yesterday it began prosecuting England's most high-profile corruption case since Bruce Grobbelaar was acquitted of conspiring to fix Premier League games in two trials at Winchester crown court 27 years ago.

Lucas Paquetá is not facing criminal proceedings, but in professional terms the stakes are almost as high. The FA charge sheet sent to West Ham on 23 May last year, in which Paquetá was charged with four counts of spot-fixing and two of obstructing an FA investigation, is understood to have included the recommendation of a life ban if he is found guilty by the independent panel.

The FA alleges Paquetá "directly sought to influence [...] these matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee, for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market in order for one or more persons to profit from betting". Paquetá denies wrongdoing and has withdrawn from the Brazil squad for World Cup qualifiers over the next 10 days against Colombia and Argentina to be available to give evidence. The 27-year-old's career is on the line.

"Lucas is coping OK as he is innocent and believes he will be cleared, but this trial is the biggest game of his life," a West Ham source said. "And the case has already been going on for two years. Top players have this ability to shut out the real world, and Lucas is like that. He just wants to play football and spend time with his family. People have said the allegations have affected his form, but he has always been inconsistent at West Ham - unplayable one game, anonymous the next - and that has continued throughout the case. Being around him most days you wouldn't know his future is so uncertain."