The second day of the trial of Joseph Blatter, 86, and Michel Platini (66), on Thursday morning at the Court of Bellinzona, Switzerland, the former leaders targeted FIFA and Ginanni Infantino, without, however, naming the current president of that body.

Asked about the illicit payment of some €1.8 million by FIFA to Platini, then UEFA's top leader, who reportedly received the sum in 2011 for his services as Blatter's advisor between 1998 and 2002, Blatter said, according to statements reproduced by L'Équipe, "I will not answer FIFA's questions because, since March 2016, the president of FIFA [Gianni Infantino]."

Platini responded by the same yardstick: "I will not respond to a house [FIFA] whose president is accused." Referring to the criminal case opened in July 2020 against Infantino at the European Confederation.

Regarding how much he paid Platini, the 86-year-old Swiss said: "When I was elected president of FIFA we had a very bad record. But I thought that a man who had been in soccer could help us, FIFA and me. Michel Platini said to me, 'I'm worth a million,' and I said, 'So you're going to be in this for a million.'

With visible physical frailties, Blatter vented, "I've already been punished over seven years [the start of the process dates back to late September 2015] it's an eternity. I only need one hand to count my friends.... I am happy to be here and that this can end."