The real reason why West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta burst into tears during the Hammers’ 1-1 draw with Tottenham over the weekend has been revealed.

The Brazilian was withdrawn in the second half after breaking down on the pitch, with captain Jarrod Bowen and referee Michael Oliver seen checking on him before manager Graham Potter replaced him with James Ward-Prowse in the 80th minute.

After the game, Potter stated the emotional reaction was based on frustration after receiving a yellow card amid the player’s betting trial over alleged offences involving deliberate bookings. Now, a new report has come to light breaking down just why Paqueta couldn’t hold back the tears at the London Stadium.

According to a report from the Daily Mail, Paqueta has been struggling to deal with the burden of his spot-fixing trial, which came to the surface following his caution against Tottenham.

The reason for his reaction to the booking was likely related to the fact that it was a reminder of what he is having to endure and of the possibility that his career could be taken from him in an instant, with the threat of a lifetime ban looming should the 27-year-old be found guilty.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Paqueta has been booked 29 times since it was announced he was being investigated.

While Paqueta has been commended for his professionalism both on the pitch and in training, the prolonged nature of the investigation is clearly taking its toll.

Having originally been charged in May 2024, the hearing on the case began on March 17th 2025, and was set to last three weeks. Word from Paqueta’s camp is that once this period was over, the midfielder was expected to be cleared of any wrongdoing and free to continue playing.

Things have not panned out this way. Instead, the trial is set to last a while longer yet, with it being described as Paqueta’s ‘hell.’

It is also said that no one has any idea on what the potential outcome may be, with it claimed that there have been ‘good days and bad days,’ from the Brazilian’s side of things.

One West Ham insider has stated that ‘zero account taken of the mental stress on him [Paqueta] and his family,’ during this time, while there are also fears that the odds are being increasingly stacked against their star man.

The worries are largely based on the standard of evidence being provided that is based on ‘balance of probabilities’ as opposed to anything ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’.

It was also noted that Paqueta has never been forced to play by West Ham during this period, and decisions regarding whether he feels mentally capable of doing so have all been left to the player.

The trial is set to continue this month, but on varying dates due to the availability of tribunal members and council for both sides.