Platini in court for make-or-break appeal

UEFA's fallen chief Michel Platini mounted a final challenge against his six-year ban from football on Friday in an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with ally-turned-foe Sepp Blatter testifying for FIFA.

The stakes could not be higher for the 60-year-old former French international, who led Europe's powerful football confederation and was favoured to take charge of world governing body FIFA before his dramatic downfall last year.

If CAS overturns the ethics violation verdict imposed by FIFA judges, then Platini could be at the Stade de France for the Euro 2016 opener between hosts France and Romania on June 10.

A negative verdict will see his glittering career in the sport brought to an ignominious halt.

"Today the match begins, a new match, the final, and we are all on the same page. I'm optimistic, we're going to win," Platini told reporters.

The Frenchman has been sanctioned over an infamous two million Swiss franc ($2 million, 1.8 million euro) payment he received in 2011 from then-FIFA president Blatter.

FIFA's ethics committee in December banned both men from all football activities for eight years. The suspensions were cut to six years in February.

Both men insist they did nothing wrong and that the payment was part of a legitimate oral contract tied to consulting work that Platini did for FIFA between 1999 and 2002.

- 'Nice to see Platini' -

Blatter entered the court in the Swiss city of Lausanne around 10:40 am (0840 GMT) and told reporters he was "happy" to testify in the case, following a request from FIFA.

"It will be nice to see Michel Platini again," Blatter said. "It has been a while since I've seen him."

He left roughly 90 minutes later, describing the process as "fair (and) very proper."

Blatter said he was questioned by FIFA lawyers, Platini's camp and a panel of judges.

"I hope that my participation has helped to find a solution to this problem," Blatter said, declining to discuss specifics of his testimony.

Blatter and Platini, once the most powerful figures in world football, were once considered strong allies but their relationship publicly frayed as Blatter repeatedly refused to cede the FIFA presidency.

The murky two million Swiss franc payment ultimately destroyed Platini's chances of replacing Blatter as the Frenchman was forced to pull out of the race to become FIFA president in an election won by his number two at UEFA, Gianni Infantino.

UEFA has said it will not replace Platini until all his appeals are exhausted, so if the former French star is successful at CAS he could reclaim his job in time to preside over Euro 2016.

Platini's entourage is hoping for a decision "before May 3" when UEFA holds its congress in Budapest.

Blatter has also appealed to CAS and is awaiting a date for his hearing.