Sepp Blatter says Gianni Infantino wants to “demolish” it – rts.ch

Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and former UEFA boss Michel Platini gave exclusive interviews to RTS on the sidelines of their trial. The first notably denounced the attitude of Gianni Infantino, his successor at the head of world football, believing that he was trying to “destroy” him.

It is a little after 8 a.m. on Monday June 20 in Bellinzona when Sepp Blatter arrives at the Federal Criminal Court accompanied by his lawyer, Lorenz Enri. Asked by RTS, the 86-year-old former FIFA president wants to talk: “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to say a word to French-speaking Swiss Television and to my friends in French-speaking Switzerland where I feel besides, still very well since I had studied in Lausanne”, he slips.

Sepp Blatter, sued with Michel Platini for fraud, feels a sense of injustice. “I want to clear my honor,” he says. He says he worked for forty-five years for FIFA. “When I arrived, we were nothing. And when I left, we were an international organization, solid economically, socially, culturally, even politically.”

“I want to be cleared”

To hear him, Gianni Infantino, who succeeded him at the head of FIFA, should say thank you for the “so beautiful heritage” received. But we are a long way from thanks. “I don’t know why, but Infantino doesn’t want me. He even tries to artificially create a case against me,” claims Sepp Blatter.

The former FIFA president has already had the opportunity to say it, but according to him, it is indeed his successor who is at the origin of his setbacks in court and who would have maneuvered behind the scenes for the bring down in 2015. “He wants to tear me down, but also everything I’ve done because he thinks he’s doing better,” asserts Sepp Blatter.

I have been accused of criminal instincts, I have been accused of being a thief. It is absurd. I don’t know why I end up in court

Sepp Blatter

The octogenarian assures him, he has a “clear conscience”. “I must say that I am very touched. I have been accused of criminal instincts, I have been accused of being a thief. It is absurd. I do not know why I find myself in court and I am sure that thousands, not to say millions of footballers don’t understand it either.”

Sepp Blatter certifies that he does not want to take revenge. “I am not revengeful, but I want to be cleared. It is about my honor and the honor of the football I created. I did not create it alone, but with hundreds of coaches who have worked to make football what it is today. Football has more than two billion followers. No one in the world has that many,” says Sepp Blatter.

Michel Platini: “FIFA has won”

A few hours after being able to interview Sepp Blatter, the RTS was able to question Michel Platini. The former number 10 of Juventus and the France team also expresses a feeling of injustice. “I am shielded against injustice. When we have played football matches, which we have lost because of a decision by the referee, we are a little shielded. But injustice hurts much more to his loved ones, to his family, to his children, to his grandchildren, because they are not prepared to undergo this”, confides the former president of UEFA.

Me, I am armored against injustice (…) But injustice hurts much more his loved ones, his family

Michael Platini

Michel Platini believes he has two adversaries, the Public Ministry of the Confederation and FIFA. “These are two very strong organizations. I fight, because I know that there is a collusion between them”, he says, referring in particular to the unprotocold meetings between the former Attorney General of the Confederation Michael Lauber and the current FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “I fight, I’m in the fight, and that’s something I’ve always enjoyed. I don’t give up, I won’t give up and I’ll go all the way.”

>> Michel Platini’s interview:

Michel Platini: “FIFA has won” / Video news / 3 min. / today at 6:10 p.m.

Verdict on July 8

Platoche, as he was nicknamed on the football pitch, is however aware that he will no longer be able to hold a leading position in the world of football. “It’s been seven years since FIFA stripped me of any ambition I could possibly have within world football. A former FIFA communicator said that even if the case against me was empty, this story would kill me professionally. He had reason. I lost. FIFA won”, analyzes Michel Platini.

He’s not giving up though. “I keep fighting to see what I could possibly do for the good of football. Because yes, I am in the good of football. Unlike others.”

Prosecuted for a payment of 2 million francs from Sepp Blatter to Michel Platini in 2011, the two men will be fixed on their fate on July 8. In its indictment, the Public Ministry of the Confederation asked for a year and eight months of suspended prison sentence against them.

>> Back to the linked destinies of the two men in the 7:30 p.m.:

Document on the linked destinies of Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, former lords of world football today tried for fraud before the Federal Criminal Court / 7:30 p.m. / 4 min. / today at 7:30 p.m.

>> Read also: One year and eight months suspended prison sentence required against Platini and Blatter

Fabiano Citroni / boi