LONDON, May 4 (Reuters) – West Ham United’s Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta burst into tears of frustration after being cautioned during his side’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday, manager Graham Potter said.
Paqueta, under a cloud of uncertainty over his future career after being charged with alleged betting irregularities, looked distraught and appeared to wipe away tears after he was shown a yellow card in the second half following a foul on Spurs’ Mikey Moore.
The Brazil international disputed the decision, remonstrating with his arms before television images showed him wiping a tear away from his eye.
Referee Michael Oliver warned him about his conduct and several teammates urged him to calm down.
Paqueta, 27, is awaiting the outcome of a Football Association hearing into alleged spot-fixing and is facing a possible lifetime ban if he is found guilty of deliberately receiving four yellow cards in Premier League matches for betting purposes. He has denied the allegation.
“I think he’s just a player that’s trying his absolute best and wants the situation to be better and probably got a bit frustrated with the action,” said Potter.
“And then you see a human being, not perfect, but I love Lucas. He’s given everything and in difficult circumstances he’s in as well. He’s given everything and he’s absolutely fine now.”
Paqueta is facing a frustrating wait because the case will not finish until June at the earliest.
The independent panel presiding over the hearing did not conclude proceedings in March because of its complexity and adjourned proceedings. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Pritha Sarkar) London Stadium England West Ham United Tottenham Hotspur
About The Author
