Michel Platini has confessed there was no written contract between himself and outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter for an alleged "disloyal payment" which resulted in the pair's suspension from the organisation.
Last week, Blatter called a reported two million Swiss franc payment to Platini in 2011 for work the Frenchman claims he carried out for FIFA between 1999 and 2002 a "gentleman's agreement".
The transaction is the subject of a criminal investigation by the Swiss attorney general.
On October 8, the pair were provisionally suspended for 90 days by FIFA's Ethics Committee.
Platini says he undertook a verbal agreement due to the trust he had for his colleague.
"For a long time I had neither a lawyer nor an agent to negotiate for me and it was a man-to-man thing," he said in an interview with Le Monde.
"He was to become FIFA president – I trusted him."
The 60-year-old revealed the details of the work he undertook for the alleged payment.
"I worked on the reform of the global competition calendar, on the 'Goal Project' – a device to aid and support to poorer federations within FIFA worldwide," Platini explained.
"And I accompanied Blatter in many of his travels. In short, I really worked and many people can testify to that."
Platini described the situation as "shameful" and feels his name has been sullied by association.
"I was suspended for three months but what annoys me the most is to put in the same bag as the others. I find it shameful to be dragged through the mud," he said.
"My lawyers follow FIFA procedures and will invoke the Court of Arbitration for Sport if necessary.
"I hope that all this will go quickly."
