The FIFA ethics committee hearings against Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have ended, with the latter's lawyer emerging and declaring his client's innocence while Blatter has called a news conference for Monday ahead of the verdicts.
Suspended FIFA president Blatter and suspended UEFA boss Platini are to learn their fate on Monday over whether there was impropriety in a £1.3 million payment received by the latter from the former in 2011.
Outgoing FIFA president Blatter, who signed off the payment, appeared before FIFA ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert on Thursday -- while Platini boycotted his hearing.
The procedure meant he was unable to join the race to be Blatter's replacement when a new FIFA leader is chosen in February, but his Paris-based lead lawyer, Thibaud d'Ales said on Friday: "Platini is innocent. Now we are hoping the ethics committee will render the law."
Ahead of the verdicts which are expected at 9 a.m. on Monday, Blatter has called a news conference in Zurich where he will discuss the outcome.
Blatter's spokesman, Thomas Renggli, told The Associated Press the suspended FIFA president has hired space at world football's former headquarters at Sonnenberg in Zurich for the event.
This comes on a day when FIFA's interim leaders called on the organisation's 209 member associations to embrace change after the "crisis that has shaken global football governance to its core."
An open letter from acting FIFA president Issa Hayatou and acting secretary general Markus Kattner told the associations they need to vote for major reforms in February to protect the future of the world governing body.
It came amid the corruption scandal which has seen more than 30 football officials indicted by the U.S. justice department, and the ethics committee hearings against Blatter and Platini.
Information from Press Association and The Associated Press were used in this report.