West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá expressed his frustration following his red card in the match against Liverpool, labeling the incident as a culmination of the “ridiculous” challenges he has faced over the past two years. He criticized the Football Association for not providing adequate support during this tumultuous period.
Earlier this year, the FA exonerated Paquetá from four spot-fixing allegations after a comprehensive investigation which suggested he intentionally collected four yellow cards in Premier League matches spanning from November 2022 to August 2023.
In a match on Sunday, Paquetá received a red card during the 2-0 loss to Liverpool, receiving a second booking for dissent shortly after being cautioned for a foul.
Rob Green, a former West Ham goalkeeper, criticized the red card as “completely irresponsible” during a discussion on Sky Sports.
Following the match, Paquetá took to social media to share his thoughts, posting a clip of the red card and stating on X: “It’s absurd to have your life and career impacted over two years without any psychological support from the federation.
“Perhaps this outrageous behavior reflects everything I’ve endured, and it seems I must continue facing it! I apologize for not being perfect.”
The Brazil international further expressed in Portuguese: “I recognize that I’m now painted as the villain; it’s challenging to cope with all the turmoil it has caused in my life and mental health!”
“I will keep trying to shield myself from further harm.”
“This doesn’t excuse my sending off, and I sincerely apologize to my fans and teammates!”
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Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, who scored after Paquetá’s dismissal, netted the goals that left Nuno Espirito Santo’s side in 17th place.
After the match, Nuno stated he wouldn’t comment on the red card until he had spoken to Paquetá directly.
In October, Paquetá was reprimanded and warned regarding his future conduct due to his lack of cooperation with the investigation into the spot-fixing claims.
ESPN has reached out to the FA for a response.