Blatter had been due to give evidence in a Swiss court today, but told judges he was unable to because of chest pains.

Blatter's testimony has been delayed by a day, with the 86-year-old now due to answer questions at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona tomorrow instead.

The former football powerbrokers face fraud, embezzlement and corruption charges.

They relate to a payment of CHF2 million (£1.6 million/$2 million/€1.9 million) made by Blatter to Platini in 2011.

Blatter and Platini have long denied wrongdoing, saying the payment was for "consultancy services" relating to when Platini advisor Blatter between 1998 and 2002.

Prosecutors have dismissed this defence, arguing Swiss law places a five-year time limit on such payments and that the transaction was therefore illegal.

The payment had already ended both's administrative careers, with the FIFA Ethics Committee banning them for eight years in 2015.

The sanctions were reduced to six years on appeal, although Blatter was banned for a further six years and eight months after being found guilty of various violations of the FIFA Code of Ethics in 2021.

Blatter is Swiss and had led FIFA for 17 years, before being brought down amid a mass of corruption scandals.

Platini, a three-time Ballon d'Or winner as a player and European champion with France, is due to give testimony on Friday (June 10).

A verdict in the two-week trial before a panel of three judges is expected to be reached on July 8, with sentences of up to five years in prison possible if the pair are found guilty.