Michel Platini will not attend Federation Internationale de Football Association hearing

The lawyers say in a statement that the verdict “has already been announced last weekend in the press”.

In a statement issued on behalf of Fifa’s ethics judges on Wednesday, Platini was told his case will be dealt with “independently and in an unbiased manner”.

Ethics prosecutors want a life ban if corruption is proved in Blatter authorising a $2 million payment in 2011 for Michel Platini, whose ethics hearing is on Friday.

However, the payment was not part of Platini’s written contract – they have insisted that it was a verbal agreement which is legal under Swiss law.

Platini, who has been head of European football’s governing body UEFA since 2002, had registered as a candidate to replace Blatter in a vote on February 26.

The ethics panel is set to rule on their cases, and could impose much longer bans than the provisional suspensions if it finds the men guilty of violations.

A spokesman for the committee, Andreas Brantel, was quoted by French sports publication L’Equipe earlier this week claiming the allegations were “well founded” and that both men could face suspensions totaling several years.

Blatter said in an interview with Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo that FIFA’s disciplinary committee has already concluded the probes, but he doesn’t know their outcome.

Blatter says public comments from the Federation Internationale de Football Association investigation are prejudicial and “dangerous”.

Platini and Blatter deny any wrongdoing.

Blatter will appear at his hearing on Thursday, and verdicts are expected by Monday or Tuesday.

Fifa’s ethics committee has assured Michel Platini he will receive a fair hearing on Friday even if he refuses to attend the hearing in person.

“The way in which the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee has communicated on the current proceedings, demanded the maximum penalty and reinforced public prejudgement has reached a tendentious and risky dimension.