UEFA backing on the line for Platini

A week after receiving the resounding backing of his UEFA colleagues, Michel Platini could discover that support for him has cooled after European soccer leaders discuss the suspended president's ethics case on Thursday.

The UEFA president is battling to salvage his reputation after being provisionally banned for at least 90 days last week by FIFA's ethics judge, along with FIFA president Sepp Blatter, pending the outcome of an investigation into a 2011 payment to the former France captain. Blatter and Platini deny any wrongdoing.

Platini still hopes he can clear his name in time to stand in the emergency FIFA presidential election in February, even though he is expected to be declared ineligible once the candidate integrity checks are conducted after Oct 26.