Geneva (AFP)

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who will be heard on Thursday for the fourth day in a row by Swiss justice in the case of the suspicious payment which also threatens Michel Platini, remains "optimistic", said his spokesperson at the AFP.

The hearing takes place in the offices of the federal prosecutor in Zurich, where the headquarters of Fifa is located.

"This will continue on Thursday. Maybe Friday," Thomas Renggli told AFP, after the third day of hearing which lasted 90 minutes.

"Mr. Blatter is always optimistic but it is a bit tiring for him in view of his medical situation. But he will continue, he is fighting for his rights", he added, specifying that the daughter of the Swiss, Corinne, had come to support him in Zurich.

Due to his state of health, Blatter, 85, hospitalized last December and January for major heart surgery, cannot be questioned for too long.

This case, which shattered the careers of the two most powerful men in world football, concerns the payment by Fifa of 2 million Swiss francs (1.8 million EUR) to the French triple golden ball in early 2011, without justification. written, by order of Blatter.

The epilogue of this file had been delayed for several months by the state of health of the Swiss.

"It's a bit painful for him. He always has to say the same thing. The prosecutor does not want to accept that there was an oral contract between Blatter and Platini", explained Mr. Renggli.

This hearing must be the last step before the closure of this investigation opened in 2015 against the two men.

Blatter is being prosecuted for "suspicion of fraud, breach of trust and unfair management", while the criminal proceedings against Platini are carried out for "suspicion of fraud, participation in breach of trust, participation in unfair management and false in the titles ".

Platini had been heard one last time in mid-March.

He is now awaiting the decision of the public prosecutor's office, which could either pronounce a dismissal or pave the way for a trial before the Federal Criminal Court of Bellinzona.

Blatter and Platini hammer out relentlessly that this is a balance of payment for an advisory job carried out by the French between 1999 and 2002.

Fifa, led since 2016 by Gianni Infantino, deplores for its part the absence of a written contract mentioning at the time such remuneration, and demands Platini to reimburse the 2 million Swiss francs.

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